A candidate reference method for serum potassium measurement by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
AbstractBackground:Potassium is an important serum ion that is frequently assayed in clinical laboratories. Quality assurance requires reference methods; thus, the establishment of a candidate reference method for serum potassium measurements is important.Methods:An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method was developed. Serum samples were gravimetrically spiked with an aluminum internal standard, digested with 69% ultrapure nitric acid, and diluted to the required concentration. TheResults:The correlation coefficients between the measuredConclusions:The new ICP-MS method is specific, precise, simple, and low-cost, and it may be used as a candidate reference method for standardizing serum potassium measurements.