Extraction and quantification of lead in meconium: Analysis through inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (ICP-MS)

In recent years, growing attention has been directed towards the impact of environmental pollution on child health, particularly the silent threat posed by heavy metals (HMs). Foetuses may also be exposed to HMs through placental transfer from the mother. To evaluate such exposures, researchers are increasingly seeking long-term, non-invasive biomatrices, among which meconium - the newborn’s first faeces or stool, has emerged as a promising candidate. Meconium accumulates throughout pregnancy and is likely to reflect the transfer of chemicals across the placenta. A total of 136 meconium samples were analysed using ICP-MS to evaluate lead concentration in it. The method achieved a detection limit of 0.00062 µg/g (0.62 ppb). The mean recovery rate of Pb was 101% (range: 93–110%). This study presents the following challenges and solutions: • Extraction, digestion, and quantification of lead (Pb) in human meconium. • Identification of appropriate drying time of meconium samples due to variable water content across samples. • Spiking of meconium with suitable Pb standards, calculation of recovery rates, and estimation of true Pb concentration.