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Rapid and Efficient Microwave Digestion for Elemental Analysis for Comparative Medicine
Introduction
Comparative medicine is built on the ability to use information from one species to understand the same processes in other species. Laboratory rats and mice provide ideal animal models for biomedical research and comparative medicine studies because they have many similarities to humans in terms of anatomy and physiology. Elemental analysis to determine levels of trace elements in these samples can also help assess nutritional status and impact on human health. However, the small size of rats and mice mean that the tissue samples are in milligram quantities. These small sample sizes, coupled with low detection limits, add additional complexity and make sample prep challenging for elemental analysis. In this study, the Discover®SP-D Clinical automated microwave digestion system was used to digest animal tissue. This system can safely operate at temperatures and pressures required to provide a more rapid and efficient digestion.
