scope:

This document is provided for all laboratories attempting the determination of lead in blood or urine. Laboratories new to the analysis will benefit from the many years of experience accumulated in the laboratories of the committee members, advisors, and observers. A background section on the clinical significance of lead measurements is included to help laboratorians and others understand the context in which these measurements are made. Recommended procedures for collecting blood (both capillary and venous) and urine specimens are given. A detailed analytical procedure is recommended for use with GFAAS equipment. Since an ASV method for BPb is provided by the equipment manufacturer, a detailed procedure is not duplicated here but is summarized. Furthermore, some useful information is included in the ASV section to help users avoid performance problems. Other analytical methods are referenced either within a historical context (e.g., Delves-cup AAS) or with respect to specialized applications (e.g., ICP-MS).

The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommend the exclusive use of the liter as unit of volume when reporting laboratory results using the SystPme International d'UnitJs (SI). Many published BPb values are universally reported as mass concentration (unit μg/dL, μg/100 mL) rather than as substance concentration (unit μmol/L). Pediatric urine lead (UPb) measurements are also reported as mass concentration (unit μg/L) and, given the total volume of urine collected, the total lead excreted is calculated and reported (unit μg). In this document, the units for BPb are μg/dL; the units for UPb are μg/L. The IUPAC/IFCC-recommended units of substance (elemental) concentration (μmol/L, μM) are included in parentheses, where appropriate. Conversion factors are given below:

blood lead (μg/dL) x 0.04826 = blood lead (μmol/L)

urine lead (μg/L) x 0.004826 = urine lead (μmol/L)