Spectroscopic analysis technique has attained greater traction in Biophysics research and education for quantitative detection of bulk elemental composition of a wide variety of sample like powders, solids, liquids, suspensions and biota. This paper examines the application of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (Agilent technologies 5110 ICP-OES) for quantitative analysis in biophysics research.
ICP-OES (Agilent technologies 5110) exploits the emission spectrum of an excited atom inthe detection and quantification of heavy metals and trace elements present in the water, sediments and biota samples. The paper restricts itself to the ICP-OES equipment found in the Laboratories at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI), Kenya. In this spectroscopic equipment, samples are prepared, based on chemical and structural differences between non-biotic and biotic samples, by being turned into a fine liquid form which are introduced into the ICP-OES instrument. The ICP-OES technique which is preferred due to high precision, simultaneous multi-element analysis, massive dynamic linear range, high throughput and low cost, finds applications in environmental safety, bio-remediation, food quality, diagnostic and biophysical research laboratories. Research in the fields of biophysical environmental, petrochemical, and metallurgical, Nano technological, andgeology employ the use of ICP-OES with special focus on biological samples.
The use, maintenance and calibration of ICP-OES equipment is discussed in this paper. Lack of local experts in Africa to deal withthe use and calibration of ICP-OES has caused regular equipment down time. This discussion is meant to expose students, early career researchers and nanotechnology researchers to new equipment which should help Africa to contribute to international discourse in Biophysics through research and publications.
