Determination of Mercury (II) Ion Concentrations in Human Serum Albumin Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Multivariate Regression Analysis

Abstract

Human serum albumin (HSA) is a protein responsible for the transportation and delivery of drug molecules, fatty acids, and metabolites to various targets and the removal of waste products from the body. However, the binding of heavy metal ions, including mercury (II) (Hg(II)), can adversely affect HSA physiological properties with deleterious health consequences. The volatility of Hg at room temperature precludes the use of conventional flame, graphite furnace, or inductively couple atomic absorption spectroscopy for routine analysis of Hg in most research and medical laboratories. This study reports the first potential utility of fluorescence spectroscopy and multivariate regression analysis for the determination of Hg(II) concentration in HSA samples. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated the binding of Hg(II) at HSA amide I and amide II sites. Also, the binding of Hg(II) with HSA resulted in a decreased HSA ultraviolet (UV)-visible absorption and dramatic quenching of HSA fluorescence emission. The developed multivariate partial least squares regression (PLSR) model from Hg(II)–HSA fluorescence emission data was able to predict the Hg(II) concentration in HSA samples, with a root mean square percent relative error of prediction of 6.59%. The simplicity, low cost, and robustness of this method makes it a promising alternative method for rapid determination of Hg(II) concentration in biological specimens.

Fluorescence, Phosphorescence, and Chemiluminescence

“…Use of multivariate analyses, chemometrics, and data processing has also garnered considerable interest in biomedical, bioanalytical, biomedical, and clinical studies during this review period. For example, Fakayode’s research group has reported the first potential utility of fluorescence spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate PLS regression analysis for accurate determination of Hg­(II) concentrations in human serum albumin (HSA) samples . Human serum albumin is a protein responsible for transport and delivery of drug molecules, fatty acids, and metabolites to various targets and removal of waste products from the body.…”

“…For example, Fakayode's research group has reported the first potential utility of fluorescence spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate PLS regression analysis for accurate determination of Hg(II) concentrations in human serum albumin (HSA) samples. 161 Human serum albumin is a protein responsible for transport and delivery of drug molecules, fatty acids, and metabolites to various targets and removal of waste products from the body. However, binding with heavy metal ions, including Hg(II), can adversely affect the physiological properties of has, with deleterious health consequences.…”

A Prototype Stationary Fourier Transform Spectrometer for Near-Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

“…Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has a large variety of important applications, including detection of illicit drugs, food safety testing, monitoring of environmental pollutants, medical diagnostics, and materials characterization, as well as airborne and spaceborne remote sensing of atmosphere components. 1–8 The most popular FT-IR spectroscopic instruments are tabletop instruments that are suitable for high-resolution spectroscopy measurements in laboratory, and the samples collected outside have to be sent to the laboratory for analysis, making the entire process time consuming. The tabletop FT-IR spectroscopic instruments that are large and have vibrational susceptibility are inapplicable for real-time on-site analysis.…”