Fluorimetric determination of aluminum in human serum and whole blood

The determination of trace amounts of aluminum in blood is problematic due to the great amount and complicated composition of organic and inorganic matrices. Therefore, most previous studies have investigated only serum or plasma samples, and there have been few studies on whole blood samples. In this study, organic matter in serum and whole blood samples was digested by microwave heating with acid, and then inorganic matter, such as iron, was removed using solvent extraction; finally, aluminum was fluorimetrically determined by the lumogallion method. Because the interference from matrices was markedly reduced, especially in whole blood samples, it enabled the determination of aluminum in serum and whole blood samples by the same operation. From the values in healthy human serum and whole blood, it also allowed an estimation of the aluminum concentration in erythrocytes; the distribution ratio of aluminum between serum and erythrocytes was also obtained.