Proteins are acid-digested (concentrated acid and heating) before analysis by ICP-MS (or ICP-OES for high concentration protein samples or high metal binding stoichiometry). You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO₃ (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we offer digestion services. Please let us know of any buffers or additives in your samples so we can tailor our methods.

To determine what volume of protein solution to send, please let us know which metal(s) you want to measure, the protein concentration (M) and the expected binding stoichiometry (moles of metal per mole of protein) for each metal. The volume required will depend on these factors, as well as the limit of detection for each metal.

We cannot accept samples containing urea.

You may also be interested in organic compound characterization and quantification (new page LEA organic) and compound-specific stable isotope services at CAIS.

Cell pellets are acid-digested and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS (or ICP-OES for high-uptake metals or large cell pellets). The entire contents of the tube will be digested, so cells must be washed to ensure none of the metal-containing media or drug treatment is present. We report metal concentrations in ppm (µg metal / g of cells, wet weight) or ppb (µg metal / kg of cells, wet weight) so accurate pellet masses are critical. Pellet masses must be provided on the sample submission form. If you are not able to provide accurate pellet masses, please Contact Us.  

Please also provide an empty tube for use as a tube blank. We request ~100 mg of cells, but this can vary depending on the metals of interest (specifically their limits of detection and their expected uptake in your cells). Please contact us if you have small samples and/or want to analyze metals that are not easily taken up by your cells. Note that the 100 mg guideline is for cells that have been pelleted and had the liquid aspirated off. Freeze-drying will result in lower masses for the same number of cells but is also acceptable.  

We do not accept infectious materials. You are responsible for sterilizing infectious material before shipping in a way that will not compromise the analysis.  

Leaves, stems, roots, flowers, seeds, and other plant tissues are lyophilized (freeze-dried) or oven-dried, ground, acid-digested, and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. Plant cell walls and woody tissue require modified procedures.

You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO3 (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we offer digestion services for dried and powdered samples. Please contact us if you require drying or grinding. If you plan to grind your own samples, please choose the grinding material with care to avoid contaminating your samples.

We typically use dry tissue weights for the concentration calculations, but can use wet tissue weights upon request.

You may also be interested in residue analysis, radiocarbon, radiogenic isotope (Sr, Pb), C & N elemental analysis, and stable isotope services at CAIS.

Organs and other soft tissues are lyophilized (freeze-dried), acid-digested, and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO3 (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we provide freeze-drying and digestion services for these samples. Please contact us if you require digestion, so we can tailor methods to your project.

We typically use dry tissue weights for the concentration calculations, but can use wet tissue weights upon request.

We do not accept infectious materials. You are responsible for sterilizing infectious material before shipping in a way that will not compromise the analysis. For further information (digestion procedures, choice of acid, ICP-OES vs. ICP-MS, etc.), please see our Resources section below or contact us.

You may also be interested in residue analysis, radiocarbon, C & N elemental analysis, and stable isotope services at CAIS.

Bones, teeth, otoliths, fins, and shells, and other mineralized tissue are sub-sampled, washed, dried, acid-digested and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO3 (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we offer washing, drying, and digestion services. Please contact us if you require these, so we can tailor methods to your project. If you plan to grind your samples, please choose the grinding material with care to avoid contaminating your samples.

We do not accept infectious materials. You are responsible for sterilizing infectious tissue before shipping.

You may also be interested in radiocarbon, radiogenic isotope (Sr, Pb), and stable isotope services at CAIS.

We offer two types of water analysis, modified from EPA 3005a:

Total Dissolved Metals: water is filtered immediately after collection, then the filtrate is acidified.

Total Recoverable Metals: water is not filtered; a representative subsample is acid-digested.

Acidified or digested water is analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. For ICP-MS, further dilution may be necessary for high salinity (>200 ppm or 9 mM). Please note that we cannot accept brine or seawater for ICP-MS—the amount of dilution required would bring trace elements below the limits of detection.

You may also be interested in radiogenic isotope (Sr, Pb), C & N elemental analysis, ions, metal speciation, and stable isotope services at CAIS.

Soils and sediments are dried, powdered, acid-digested or leached, and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES.

If you plan to grind your own samples, please choose the grinding material with care to avoid contaminating your samples. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO3 (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we can do the digestions here for dried and powdered samples. Please contact us if you require drying or grinding.

We do not use hydrofluoric acid (HF) in our digestion procedures and therefore silicates and other refractory materials may not fully dissolve. We therefore offer a leach analysis rather than a total digestion and do not offer analysis of Si, Sn, Sb, Ti, or other metals that require HF to remain stable in solution. This may be suitable for your application if you are interested in bioavailable elements.

We do not have rock crushing, separation, or fusion capabilities. We do not accept metals, alloys, ores, refractory minerals, glasses, whole rocks, or fusions. We cannot accept samples containing hydrofluoric acid (HF), so if you are digesting your own samples with HF, be sure to evaporate any HF before redissolving in nitric or hydrochloric acid.

You may also be interested in radiogenic isotope (Sr, Pb), C & N elemental analysis, stable isotope services, metal speciation, and soil testing at CAIS.

Nanomaterials are acid-digested and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. The digestion protocol will depend on nanomaterial composition. Tissue containing nanomaterials is digested using an animal soft tissue protocol (see above), modified depending on nanomaterial composition. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions: maximum 2 – 5 % (w/w) HNO₃ (preferred), aqua regia, or HCl. Alternatively, we can do the digestions here. Please contact us so we can tailor methods to your project.

We do not perform single particle analysis of nanoparticles.

Leaching solutions in contact with medical devices are acid-digested and analyzed by solution-based ICP-MS and/or ICP-OES. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions (2 – 5 % w/w HNO₃, HCl, or aqua regia). Alternatively, we can do the digestions here. Please contact us so we can tailor methods to your project.

We do not analyze metal components directly.  

Drugs and other organic compounds can be measured for metals upon request. Sample preparation methods will be tailored to the type and state of your compounds. Please contact us to discuss options. We do not have a DEA license so samples of controlled substances will need to be irreversibly decomposed (e.g., by acid digestion) prior to shipping.

You may also be interested in organic compound characterization and quantification and compound-specific stable isotope services at CAIS.

Depending on the type of food, beverage, additive, or ingredient, samples may be analyzed using protocols similar to water, plants, drugs, or animal tissue listed above. You may digest the samples yourself and submit diluted digest solutions (2 – 5 % w/w HNO₃, HCl, or aqua regia). Alternatively, we offer digestion service. Please contact us so we can tailor methods to your project.

We do not accept infectious materials (e.g., salmonella). You are responsible for sterilizing infectious material before shipping in a way that will not compromise the analysis. We do not accept essential oils, perfumes, salt, or brines. Please contact us in advance if you plan to send fragrant materials.

You may also be interested in authenticity testing, gamma testing, and metal speciation services at CAIS.

• Hg

• Standard Elements: Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si*, P, K, Ca, Ti*, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn*, Ba, Ce, Tl, Pb.
• Non-standard Elements: S, Sc, Ga, Ge*, Rb, Y, Ru, Rh, Pd, Sb*, Te, Cs, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Bi, Th, U.

• Standard Elements: Li, Be, Na**, Mg, Al, K**, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, U.
• Non-standard Elements: Sc, Ti*, Ge*, Y, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Sn*, Sb*, Te, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Bi, Th.