Development and validation of an assay for iodide in serum using ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric...

We developed and validated an ion chromatography method to assay iodide in serum sampled from rats and rabbits that had been exposed to iodomethane. Iodomethane is of interest because it is a volatile liquid pre-plant soil crop protection fumigant that has been proposed as a non-ozone-depleting alternative to methyl bromide. Serum was prepared from whole blood collected on wet ice at the time of sacrifice and kept frozen at less than -65 degrees C. For analysis, serum samples were thawed unassisted at ambient temperature. Proteins were separated from the serum samples by ultrafiltration. A 100-microl filtered serum sample was then injected into the ion chromatograph without additional sample preparation. Iodide was separated in <20 min by anion-exchange chromatography using a 25-mM nitric acid eluent. The analyte of interest was detected by pulsed amperometry using a silver working electrode. The method showed linear response over the concentration range of 100 to 5000 ng/ml iodide (r2>.998) with a lower limit of quantitation of 100 ng/ml iodide. The accuracy of the procedure, determined by spiked recovery measurements at 100 ng/ml iodide, was between 90 and 110%. A method detection limit of 20 ng/ml for iodide in serum samples was demonstrated using the method of standard additions.