TY - JOUR AB - Suspicion of lead poisoning is confirmed by its concentration in blood and protoporphyrin red blood cells. At low concentrations, lead influences the synthesis of the heme in the sense of lowering it. Acute and chronic lead intoxication is extremely polymorphic in regards to its clinical manifestations, with digestive, hematological, cardiovascular, renal hepatic and neurological features. The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of lead in human whole blood and urine harvested before and during chelation treatment in the case of lead poisoning. An atomic absorption spectroscopic method for the analysis of lead was developed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer (GF‑AAS), Varian Spectra AA‑880 with a hollow cathode lead lamp and a deuterium lamp for background correction, coupled to a GTA‑100 atomizer and a programmable sample dispenser. Standard calibration solutions were used for the range 10‑100 µg/l. The linearity range was 10.0 to 100.0 µg/l with the correlation coefficient of 0.999. We established that the method can be applied for the determination of lead in whole blood and urine, and the results obtained are useful for monitoring chelation therapy in cases of acute lead poisoning, a neglected cause of abdominal colic pain in an emergency situation. AD - Faculty of Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020011 Bucharest, Romania Military Medical Research Center, 010919 Bucharest, Romania Faculty of Medicine, The University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania Fourth Surgery Department, Emergency University Hospital Bucharest, 050098 Bucharest, Romania Third Department, Faculty of Medicine, ‘Lucian Blaga’ University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania Faculty of Medicine, Ovidius University, 900470 Constanta, Romania AU - Tudosie,Mihail,Silviu AU - Caragea,Genica AU - Popescu,Dragos,Marian AU - Avram,Oana AU - Serban,Dragos AU - Smarandache,Catalin,Gabriel AU - Tudor,Corneliu AU - Badiu,Cristinel,Dumitru AU - Socea,Bogdan AU - Dan Sabau,Alexandru AU - Comandasu,Meda AU - Spataru,Radu AU - Costea,Daniel,Ovidiu AU - Tanasescu,Ciprian AU - Dascalu,Ana,Maria DA - 2021/09/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2021.10417 IS - 3 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - lead toxicity GF‑AAS biological samples saturnine colic acute abdominal pain PY - 2021 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 985 ST - Optimization of a GF‑AAS method for lead testing in blood and urine: A useful tool in acute abdominal pain management in emergency T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Optimization of a GF‑AAS method for lead testing in blood and urine: A useful tool in acute abdominal pain management in emergency UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10417 VL - 22 ER -