A rapid tissue extraction method for determining liver copper content by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Abstract

A simple method using tissue extraction of Copper (Cu) in 8M nitric acid for 45 minutes at 100°C, followed by sample dilution and Cu quantitation by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy is described. The detection limit of the method is 16 μmol Cu/kg liver. The mean recovery of added Cu was 100.4%. This method for liver copper analysis correlated well with a method using nitric/perchloric acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy (r² = .986) and is faster, less expensive and less hazardous.