Evaluation of polypropylene CSF low-bind collection tubes for trace metal contamination

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Neuroscience
• Materials Science

Background:

• Metal ions can cross the blood-brain barrier, prompting interest in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) trace element analysis for neurodegenerative disease research.
• Assessing contamination from collection devices is crucial for accurate CSF trace element analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the contamination levels of 18 trace elements from Sarstedt polypropylene CSF collection tubes.
• To determine the suitability of these tubes for CSF trace element analysis in neurodegenerative disease studies.

Main Methods:

• Sarstedt polypropylene CSF collection tubes from two lots (n=10 per lot) were used.
• Tubes were filled with 2 mL of a CSF pool with known element concentrations.
• Elements were analyzed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after 24 hours of leaching.

Main Results:

• No detectable contamination above the limit of detection was found for 11 analytes.
• Molybdenum and selenium contamination was detected in all tubes.
• Aluminum, titanium, manganese, thallium, and zinc showed minimal, sporadic contamination in ≤25% of tubes.

Conclusions:

• Sarstedt polypropylene CSF collection tubes demonstrate acceptable performance for the analysis of most assessed metals.
• The tubes are suitable for collecting CSF samples for trace element analysis relevant to neurodegenerative disease research.