402 Quantifying Heavy Metals in Interstitial Fluid for Remote Monitoring of Chronic Exposures

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Our hypothesis is that microneedle array (MA) extraction of interstitial fluid (ISF) will enable minimally invasive quantitation of heavy metal (HM) exposure. We aim to establish analytical parameters for ICP-MS analysis of HMs, quantify baseline HM content in ISF vs other fluids, and characterize a mixed HM exposure model. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Ten healthy human volunteers were recruited into the study, approved by the UNM Human Research and Resource Committee Each subject had blood and urine collected. ISF was also collected using 3D-printed MAs inserted into the forearm. Additionally, twelve Sprague Dawley rats were unexposed (n=6) or exposed (n=6) to ad libitum water containing a mixture of uranium (U), cadmium (Cd), vanadium (V), and arsenic (As), each at 5X the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water under a protocol approved by the UNM animal care and use program. Human and animal fluids were analyzed, using ICP-MS, to quantify the levels of U, Cd, V, and As. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Recent advances in ISF extraction and analysis suggest a minimally invasive method that can be adapted to monitor HM exposure and biological loads longitudinally in both localized and dispersed communities. ISF can be collected with MAs and is a rich source of disease and exposure biomarkers. However, determining biological loads remains challenging due to the need to collect blood or urine from a dispersed rural population over time. Our preliminary results suggest similar HM concentrations in ISF, compared with blood in small unexposed human and animal populations. All four metals can be successfully quantified in tandem using ICP-MS. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Chronic exposure to heavy metals (HM) is associated with detrimental health effects. Exposure to multiple HMs is suspected to have additive or synergistic harmful effects. We envision a wearable microneedle patch that could be mailed to individuals or distributed through community centers, worn for a few hours, and returned to a central laboratory.