Quantitative Bioanalysis of Strontium in Human Serum By Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Aim: A bioanalytical method using inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to measure endogenous levels of strontium in human serum was developed and validated. Results & methodology: This article details the experimental procedures used for the method development and validation thus demonstrating the application of the inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry method for quantification of strontium in human serum samples. The assay was validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability. Significant endogenous levels of strontium are present in human serum samples ranging from 19 to 96 ng/ml with a mean of 34.6 ± 15.2 ng/ml (SD). Discussion & conclusion: Calibration procedures and sample pretreatment were simplified for high throughput analysis. The validation demonstrates that the method was sensitive, selective for quantification of strontium (⁸⁸Sr) and is suitable for routine clinical testing of strontium in human serum samples.

Lay abstract: The study of strontium in human serum is useful to understand its biological function. Strontium is found naturally in the environment including drinking water and food. This alkali earth metal plays a biological role in bone and has been shown to have therapeutic properties for osteoporosis and to suppress chemically induced sensory irritation and inflammation. A technique called inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used for its superior ability to measure low levels of strontium in biological matrices. Strontium was measured in normal human samples to demonstrate the method utility and correlate with age, gender and race.

Keywords::

• inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
• method validation
• serum
• strontium
• Yttrium

Author contributions

Srikanth Somarouthu, Jayoung Ohh, Jonathan Shaked contributed by performing the experiments described in the study. Robert Cunico and Erik Foehr provided experimental design, data analysis and writing support. Gerald Yakatan, Suzana Corritori and Joe Tami provided experimental design and logistics support.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are employees and did not directly benefit financially. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.