Determination of Calcium in Blood

Abstract

Human blood is tested in clinical diagnostic laboratories for numerous indicators. One of these indicators is the concentration of calcium. This review presents a chronological development of procedures for determining the concentration of calcium in plasma, serum, and whole blood, which are based on various analytical methods such as titrimetry, manometry, X-ray fluorescence, flame photometry, spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry, potentiometry, flame atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, chromatography, and mass spectrometry. A brief overview of these methods and the results of comparative tests are given. Currently, potentiometric procedures for determining the concentration of calcium in plasma, serum, and whole blood are the most widespread in small, medium, and large clinical diagnostic laboratories. Flame photometric procedures often act as expert methods. Mass spectrometric procedures are used to validate reference sample solutions, while inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric procedures and chromatographic procedures are used in research organizations.