Component Description
Trace metals have been associated with adverse health effects in occupational studies or laboratory studies, but have not been monitored in general population groups.
This method is used to achieve rapid and accurate quantifications of multiple elements of toxicological and nutritional interest. The method is sensitive and rapid enough to analyze urine specimens from subjects suspected of being exposed to a number of important toxic elements, or to evaluate environmental or other non-occupational exposure to these same elements.
Eligible Sample
All examined participants aged 3 to 5 years were eligible and participants aged 6 years and older from a one-third subsample were eligible.
Description of Laboratory Methodology
This method directly measures multiple metals in urine specimens using mass spectrometry after a simple dilution sample preparation step. Liquid samples are introduced into the mass spectrometer through the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization source, reduced to small droplets in an argon aerosol via a nebulizer, and then the droplets enter the ICP. The ions first pass through a focusing region, followed by the dynamic reaction cell (DRC), the quadrupole mass filter, and finally are selectively counted in rapid sequence at the detector allowing individual isotopes of an element to be determined.
Refer to the Laboratory Method Files section for a detailed description of the laboratory methods used.
There were no changes to the lab method, lab equipment, or lab site for this component in the NHANES 2015-2016 cycle.
Laboratory Method Files
Urinary Metals and Total Arsenic Laboratory Procedure Manual
(June 2018)
Laboratory Quality Assurance and Monitoring
Urine samples are processed, stored, and shipped to the Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA for analysis.
Detailed instructions on specimen collection and processing are discussed in the NHANES Laboratory Procedures Manual (LPM). Vials are stored under appropriate frozen (–30°C) conditions until they are shipped to National Center for Environmental Health for testing.
The NHANES quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols meet the 1988 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments mandates. Detailed QA/QC instructions are discussed in the NHANES LPM.
Mobile Examination Centers (MECs)
Laboratory team performance is monitored using several techniques. NCHS and contract consultants use a structured competency assessment evaluation during visits to evaluate both the quality of the laboratory work and the quality-control procedures. Each laboratory staff member is observed for equipment operation, specimen collection and preparation; testing procedures and constructive feedback are given to each staff member. Formal retraining sessions are conducted annually to ensure that required skill levels were maintained.
Analytical Laboratories
NHANES uses several methods to monitor the quality of the analyses performed by the contract laboratories. In the MEC, these methods include performing blind split samples collected on “dry run” sessions. In addition, contract laboratories randomly perform repeat testing on 2% of all specimens.
NCHS developed and distributed a quality control protocol for all CDC and contract laboratories, which outlined the use of Westgard rules (Westgard, et al. 1981) used when running NHANES specimens. Progress reports containing any problems encountered during shipping or receipt of specimens, summary statistics for each control pool, QC graphs, instrument calibration, reagents, and any special considerations are submitted to NCHS quarterly. The reports are reviewed for trends or shifts in the data. The laboratories are required to explain any identified areas of concern.
All QC procedures recommended by the manufacturers were followed. Reported results for all assays meet the Division of Laboratory Sciences’ quality control and quality assurance performance criteria for accuracy and precision, similar to the Westgard rules (Caudill et al., 2008).
Data Processing and Editing
The data were reviewed. Incomplete data or improbable values were sent to the performing laboratory for confirmation.
Analytic Notes
Refer to the 2015-2016 Laboratory Data Overview for general information on NHANES laboratory data.
Subsample Weights
Urinary metals were measured in a full sample of participants ages 3-5 and a one-third subsample of participants 6 years and older. Special sample weights are required to analyze these data properly. Specific sample weights for this subsample are included in this data file and should be used when analyzing these data.
Demographic and Other Related Variables
The analysis of NHANES laboratory data must be conducted using the appropriate survey design and demographic variables. The NHANES 2015-2016 Demographic Data File contains demographic and sample design variables. The recommended procedure for variance estimation requires use of stratum and PSU variables (SDMVSTRA and SDMVPSU, respectively) in the demographic data file.
Starting in the 2015-2016 NHANES cycle, the variable URXUCR (urine creatinine) will not be reported in this file. URXUCR can be found in the data file titled Albumin & Creatinine - Urine.
This laboratory data file can be linked to the other NHANES data files using the unique survey participant identifier SEQN.
Detection Limits
The detection limits were constant for all of the analytes in the data set. Two variables are provided for each of these analytes. The variable name ending in “LC” (ex., URDUBALC) indicates whether the result was below the limit of detection: the value “0” means that the result was at or above the limit of detection, “1” indicates that the result was below the limit of detection. For analytes with analytic results below the lower limit of detection (ex., URDUBALC=1), an imputed fill value was placed in the analyte results field. This value is the lower limit of detection divided by the square root of 2 (LLOD/sqrt[2]). The other variable prefixed URX (ex., URXUBA) provides the analytic result for that analyte.
The lower limit of detection (LLOD, in µg/L) for the urinary metals in the data set is:
| Variable Name |
SAS Label |
LLOD |
| URXUBA |
Urinary Barium |
0.060 |
| URXUCD |
Urinary Cadmium |
0.036 |
| URXUCS |
Urinary Cesium |
0.086 |
| URXUCO |
Urinary Cobalt |
0.023 |
| URXUMN |
Urinary Manganese |
0.130 |
| URXUMO |
Urinary Molybdenum |
0.800 |
| URXUPB |
Urinary Lead |
0.030 |
| URXUSB |
Urinary Antimony |
0.022 |
| URXUSR |
Urinary Strontium |
2.340 |
| URXUTL |
Urinary Thallium |
0.018 |
| URXUSN |
Urinary Tin |
0.090 |
| URXUTU |
Urinary Tungsten |
0.018 |
| URXUUR |
Urinary Uranium |
0.002 |
Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues.