A new approach to monitoring trace element concentrations and speciation in wounds and wound fluids

Combined application of potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA) and computer simulation of speciation analysis has been used to determine the total element concentrations and the proportions of the different chemical species of copper, manganese and zinc present in human would fluids. With samples of 0.5 to 1 cm3 the coefficient of variation lies in the range of 5–10%. In eight patients the concentrations of Cu and Zn were greater than those expected in blood plasma, but for Mn the observed concentrations lay with the range expected for plasma.