Quality assurance of analytical data, with special reference to the determination of lead and cadmium in biological samples

Abstract

An atomic absorption spectrometric system encorporating a Delves cup was used for the determination of lead and cadmium in blood, and simple conventional flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) following the dry ashing of kidney cortex samples in a muffle furnace, using a temperature control programme, was used for the determination of cadmium. Quality control (QC) samples were run and analytical data were subjected to strict statistical assessment. The results were found to be satisfactory for lead in blood, Pb-B (Y= 0.9809x+ 1.4201 µg l^–1 and r= 0.9862), for cadmium in blood, Cd-B (Y= 0.9180x+ 0.2871 µg l^–1 and r= 0.9813) and for cadmium in kidney cortex (Y= 0.9726x+ 1.7874 mg kg^–1 and r= 0.9872).