An element with four stable isotopes (204, 206, 207, and 208) found naturally in minerals; in man-made products such as paint, gasoline, cigarette smoke, solder in cans, and ceramics; and as a contaminant in soil and water.
Normal range: <10 Ž ¼g/dL (<0.48 mmol/L).
Use
Lead is malleable, ductile, and a poor conductor of electricity; therefore, it is used in building construction, bullets, lead " “acid batteries, pewter, and radiation shields.
Interpretation
Refer to current local state or federal (CDC) guidelines regarding treatment at specific blood lead concentrations. Note that thresholds for treatment vary for adults, children, and pregnant women.
See discussion of lead poisoning in Chapter 14.
Limitations
Whole blood free of clots.
Specimen must be collected using a procedure that minimizes environmental contamination.
Specimen container must be lead free.
POC testing devices:
Electrochemical methodology
One-step sample pretreatment
Limit of quantitation: 3 " “5 Ž ¼g/dL
Results available in <5 minutes
Results may agree within ‚ ±20% ICP-MS
Laboratory-based instrumentation
Atomic absorption
Target analyte: nonionized atomic lead
Limit of quantitation: 1 Ž ¼g/dL
Anodic stripping
Target analyte: oxidized lead
Limit of quantitation: 1 " “2 Ž ¼g/dL
Requires sample pretreatment
Inductively coupled plasma MS
Target analyte: ions at mass/charge ratio of natural isotopes of Pb