I want to do sample digestion for AAS or ICP-MS manually to detect some heavy metals, i have uterus and ovaries of rat model, any idea how it can be performed.
Hi, Abdul,
Sample digestion is very common for AAS and ICP-MS. If you perform the digestion manually ( open digestion), there is a possibility that some of the elements can get lost. It is always preferable to carry out Microwave digestion. Since it is a closed door digestion, no elements will get lost and the digestion process will be more efficient and faster.
Thankyou R.Girijan Menon for your response,
I agree with you but Unfortunately, we do not have the microwave digester in our lab, therefore I am planning to do it manually.
Hello, for highly accurate quantification of your analytes in tissue samples(or all other types of samples), unfortunately, you have to utilize a laboratory type microwave digestion instrument. Open digestion and/or domestic use microwaves won't be able to meet your needs efficiently. May cause biased results due to vaporization. (Also, domestic type microwaves are never an option but in my account, I've seen that they were used for a couple of times for only light-duties).
Thankyou Erhan Akkaya. I better look for an Auto Microwave digester
Best Regards
Hi Abdul
It will very much depend on the elements you need to determine, if closed vessel digestion is really required. It is certainly advantageous when you analyze for As, Se, Cd, or Pb for example, but most elements are stable in solution even with open vessel digest. For closed vessel you may also not necessarily need a microwave system. There are also high pressure digestion "bombs" available that can do sealed digests just using an oven.
Best regards
Bodo
Closed system is recommended but you can try manually as your study is comparative one with respect to the control.
Agnishwar Girigoswami exactly, do you have any literature regarding the manual procedure.?
http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1360053/FULLTEXT01.pdf
https://old.fssai.gov.in/Portals/0/Pdf/Manual_Metals_25_05_2016.pdf
All the answers give above are most valid and u can try if u have a basic setup of water bath which can achieve a temp. of 95-100 degree Celsius and closing cap use the 50ml centrifuge tube which are chemically inert and which are autoclavable.
Add the sample and the relevant acids in the centrifuge tube cap it tightly and boil it in the water bath till u achieve the clear solution.
There are few chances of sample bump kindly take at most care while performing this trail. its better to perform this trail under fume hood .
See our paper Wheal et al 2011 Article A cost-effective acid digestion method using closed polyprop...
for details of acid digestion procedures that may help you.Following Bodo Hattendorf 's answer, depending on the elements you are looking for, open digestion may be a simpler solution than finding a microwave digester. Also, you will need a comparison sample to check your method is recovering the elements of interest. There are many suppliers of certified reference material that you can google.
Re Raghuveer Yaganti 's comment at the end, PLEASE any time you intend to heat organic materials in concentrated acid use a fume hood, wear safety glasses and gloves.
Adding to what Matthew Wheal said: If you decompose organic material with an oxidant (HNO3, H2O2) CO2 will be formed, which can cause a tightly capped tube to explode!
Don't ever do that!
Either use equipment suitable for high pressure or do an open vessel digestion.
Thankyou Matthew Wheal for the response, the method you have described better suits my sample.
Best Regards
Bodo Hattendorf, i agree with you, open vessel digestion would be safe.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Physiology
- Physiological Processes
- Stress