engleski

Instrumental techniques in toxicology

Huge chemical diversity of substances that may cause intoxication generates high demands for selectivity and sensitivity of analytical methods and instruments needed for determination of these substances in different biological matrices. Diversity of chemical properties of analytes and matrices is reflected in variety of different analytical instruments used in toxicology laboratory and in the reduced potential for analytical process automation. During the last few decades some analytical techniques proved to be the most versatile and became standard tools in analytical toxicology. These techniques include gas chromatography coupled to mass detectors, liquid chromatography coupled to the tandem mass detectors and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Basic principles and limitations of these techniques are given in this presentation. Specific sample preparation requirements are also described. Besides standard techniques, the utility of some older, less reliable methods like immunoassays is discussed. Relevant properties of some emerging techniques like time-of-flight mass spectrometry or less frequently used techniques like enzyme assays and capillary electrophoresis are shortly described at the end of this presentation.

clinical toxicology; analytical techniques

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