Rapid determination of iron in urine, in the presence of deferoxamine, by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry.

Using a spectrometer with an argon plasma source coupled to a high-frequency magnetic field, we developed a direct method for determining iron in urine of patients being treated with deferoxamine. The detection limit for iron was 75 nmol/L; added iron was satisfactorily recovered; and we observed no interference from deferoxamine at its most commonly used concentrations. Values for between-run and within-run precision (CV) was less than 5%. Correlation of results with those obtained with a colorimetric method involving bathophenanthroline was good (r = 0.96).