Determination of aluminium in human tissues by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy and comparison of reference values.

Aluminium in human tissues has been determined by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Tissues were dried at 110 degrees C and digested with concentrated nitric acid at 50 degrees C overnight. After dilution with distilled water the samples were measured. The aluminium levels of the controls (healthy individuals who died as a result of an accident) appeared to be: grey matter 2.1 +/- 1.0 (mean +/- SD), white matter 1.7 +/- 0.5, spinal cord, 3.3 +/- 1.5, kidney 1.9 +/- 0.7, heart 2.1 +/- 1.1, vertebral cortex 1.9 +/- 1.8, and vertebral trabeculae 3.1 +/- 1.8 micrograms/g dry weight. For a patient with dialysis motor neuropathy significantly higher values were found. Comparison with values in the literature shows that our reference values are in agreement with published results obtained by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy.