Application of ICP-MS for Evaluation of Fifty-One Trace Element Contents in Small Sample of Human Breast Tissue

Abstract

For the first time, a method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed that makes it possible to evaluate the content of fifty-one trace elements (TE) in microsamples (mass from 10 mg) of breast tissues. Using the developed technique, the samples of tissue obtained from autopsies of 38 apparently healthy women aged 16-60 years who died suddenly was studied. The content of 23 TE: Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cu, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Nb, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, W, and Zn was determined in all or in most of samples. For these elements, all the main statistical characteristics were calculated, including the arithmetic mean, standard deviation, standard error of the mean, minimum and maximum values, median, percentiles with levels of 0.025 and 0.975. The content of 10 TE such as Co, Cs, Ga, Ge, Mo, Nd, Pr, Th, V, and Y was determined only in a small part of the studied samples of normal breast tissue; therefore, only the possible upper limit of their content was evaluated. The levels of 18 studied TE in normal breast tissue were below the detection limit (ppm): Be