Application of solid-phase extraction to the preconcentration of metallothionein and metals from physiological fluids

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) with covalent affinity chromatography with thiol–disulphide interchange (CAC–TDI) gels as sorbents were used for the preconcentration of Cd–thionein (Cd–Th), Zn–thionein (Zn–Th) and Cu–thionein (Cu–Th) proteins and Cd, Zn or Cu bonded with metallothioneins (MTs) from water, plasma and human urine samples. An indirect method of quantitation of MTs, based on the analysis of metal content, for the determination of MT in human body fluids is described. In experiments, different types of CAC–TDI gels were tested. The results showed a satisfactory correlation between the concentration of MT proteins added to water or physiological fluids and the concentration of protein indirectly determined via the concentration of metals by atomic absorption spectrometry.