John Savory

Incidence of lead poisoning in young children from inner-city, suburban, and rural communities.

Summary: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have recently lowered the acceptable blood lead concentration in young children from ≤25 to ≤10 μg/dl (≤1.21 to ≤0.48 μmol/L). The incidence of lead toxicity with respect to geographical areas and socioeconomic status has not yet been defined. We evaluated the incidence of increased lead concentration in inner-city, suburban, and rural children aged 9 months to 3 years. Seven hundred eighty of the 4,196 studied inner-city samples (18.6%) had lead concentrations ≥10 μg/dl (0.48 μmol/L), of which only 71 (1.6%) had lead values ≥25 μg/dl (1.21 μmol/L). Only 5 of the 212 studied children (2.4%) from suburbia and 7 of the 120 children (5.8%) from rural communities had blood lead concentrations ≥10 μg/dl (0.48 μmol/L). None of these children, however, had a lead concentration ≥15 μg/dl (0.73 μmol/L). In contrast, 276 inner-city subjects (6.6%) had lead values ≥15 μg/dl (0.73 μmol/L). Our data indicate that a correlation exists between geographical location and blood lead concentration in young children. Government health agencies at all levels should prioritize their limited resources for those areas that are most at risk for lead poisoning.

Solvent extraction of selenium, chromium, iron and zinc from ashed serum samples.

Abstract The extraction by APDC in MIBK of Se, Cr, Fe and Zn from serum ashed in a low-temperature dry asher is described. Extraction temperatures of 25, 40, 55, and 70°C were studied; 40°C provided the best overall extraction efficiencies. However, in no case could quantitative extractions be obtained. Losses of metals during the processing steps were shown to be insignificant.

International Year of Chemistry 2011: A Guide to the History of Clinical Chemistry

BACKGROUND This review was written as part of the celebration of the International Year of Chemistry 2011. CONTENT In this review we provide a chronicle of the history of clinical chemistry, with a focus on North America. We outline major methodological advances and trace the development of professional societies and journals dedicated to clinical chemistry. This review also serves as a guide to reference materials for those interested in the history of clinical chemistry. The various resources available, in sound recordings, videos, moving images, image and document archives, museums, and websites dedicated to diagnostic company timelines, are surveyed. SUMMARY These resources provide a map of how the medical subspecialty of clinical chemistry arrived at its present state. This information will undoubtedly help visionaries to determine in which direction clinical chemistry will move in the future.