Trace Metals Analysis
We develop and apply unique qualitative and quantitative methods to determine trace metals in environmental, biological, geological, and clinical samples. Our work supports the needs of government and university research programs as well as the pharmaceutical and microelectronics industries. In the emerging field of metallomics, we perform isolation, quantitation, and structural determination of covalently bound metals in proteins or metal-protein complexes.
Focus Areas
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Toxicology studies
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Speciation studies (sample preparation, separation, and determination of trace elements)
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Trivalent and hexavalent chromium (environmental industrial, biological media)
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Elemental, ionic, and organic mercury compounds (environmental, industrial, biological media)
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Compounds of arsenic (water, plant tissue)
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Soluble, sulfidic, elements, and oxidic nickel (industrial, workplace air)
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Organotin compounds, including tributyltin (industrial, workplace air)
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Metallo-protein analyses
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Pharmaceutical research support
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Environmental and industrial analyses
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Lead measurements and reference materials
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Measurement of trace contaminants in controlled environments
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Materials characterization
Capabilities
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Sample preparation and determination of 50+ trace elements in biological, environmental, and industrial media
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Methods development and evaluation
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Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)
Instrumentation
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Inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MS)
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Inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-Q-MS)
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Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES)
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Ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass or optical spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS, IC-ICP-OES)
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Graphite furnace and cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS and CVAAS)
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Atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS)
Sample Preparation Equipment and Facilities
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Class 100 cleanroom
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Class 10,000 cleanroom with Class 10 laminar flow hood; metal-free construction
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Additional preparation laboratory with Class 10 laminar flow hood; metal-free construction
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CEM MARS-5, MARS-5 EXPRESS, and MDS-2000 microwave digestion systems
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Mettler AT261 and AT200 analytical balances
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VirTis 5.5L, VirTis 3.3L, and Labconco 6L lyophilizers
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Brinkman Polytron, Glen Mills Retsch GM200 and S100 homogenizers
Related Research
Contacts
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Peter Grohse [pmg@rti.org]
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Keith Levine [levine@rti.org]: NTP program and general metals analysis
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Frank Weber [fxw@rti.org]: general metals analysis and instrumentation
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David Binstock [binnie@rti.org]: lead programs
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Andrea McWilliams [acm@rti.org]: XRF program
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