Atomic absorption spectrophotometric determination of liver copper: collaborative study

Eleven collaborating laboratories conducted replicate analyses on 4 blind duplicate pairs of bovine liver samples that either had naturally acquired copper levels or were spiked with one of 3 copper levels. A National Bureau of Standards Bovine Liver sample (SRM 1577, 193 +/- 10 mg copper/kg) and a 1000 mg copper/L standard were also submitted to the collaborators. The method requires the tissue to be digested with concentrated HNO3 at 60 degrees C, diluted to volume with water, and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The intralaboratory coefficients of variation (CVo) ranged from 5.6 to 19%; the interlaboratory CVx values ranged from 7.1 to 21%. The lower limit of detection was estimated to be 1 mg copper/kg tissue. The method has been adopted official first action.