Analysis of Metals in Saliva by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. I. Calcium

¹ Institute of Dental Research, United Dental Hospital, Sydney, Australia

Atomic absorption spectroscopy was applied to the analysis of calcium in saliva without prior ashing, using a simple instrument. The saliva could be readily sampled provided it was acidified and centrifuged to remove particulate matter. Tenfold dilutions in 4,400 ppm strontium (as SrCl₂· 6H₂O) of the acidified supernatant could be aspirated into an air-acetylene flame and estimated against standard calcium solutions of 0-10 ppm calcium, containing the same strontium concentration plus 100 ppm sodium (as NaCl).

The mean calcium value of the unstimulated saliva of 68 subjects was 6.24 mg. per cent, and that for the stimulated saliva of 100 subjects was 5.87 per cent.

Differences in calcium values of both stimulated and unstimulated saliva of two groups of subjects varying in age (under and over fifteen years) were not significant.