Evaluation of contamination associated with current blood spot technology for determining the fatty acid status of individuals

Abstract

A newly developed method for determining fatty acid status in samples of whole blood using collection papers was evaluated. Fresh blood was analyzed either directly or after being applied to a strip of blood collection paper. When compared with fresh blood, spotted blood samples exhibited a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids and lower percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially when the volume of blood spot was low, suggesting the presence of contaminants in the paper. This was confirmed by gas chromatography analysis of blank collection papers which produced peaks which corresponded with saturated fatty acids. Further studies revealed that latex gloves, aluminium bags and polyethylene bags also have the potential to contaminate blood spot samples during sample collection, processing, and storage. The choice of collection paper, gloves, and storage bags which contain the minimum amount of contaminants is therefore essential to reduce the impact of external contaminants on the blood spot fatty acid analysis results. Practical applications: This research shows that the choice of collection paper, gloves, and storage bags which contain the minimum amount of contaminants is essential to reduce the impact of external contaminants on the blood spot fatty acid analysis results. Moreover, this work shows the potential of using Whatman ion exchange paper in clinical trials that are aimed at measuring the fatty acids composition in dried blood spots, to provide more accurate results.