For Total Tox Burden, Vibrant uses liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for quantitative detection of mycotoxins and environmental toxins and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for detection of heavy metals.
These are powerful analytical techniques that combine the separating power of liquid chromatography or ICP with the highly sensitive and selective mass analysis capability of triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, with LC-MS/MS capable of detection at the parts per trillion (ppt) and ICP-MS capable of detection at the parts per quadrillion (ppq) level.
| Measurement | Fraction of 1 g | Equivalent “parts per” |
|---|---|---|
| 1 µg/g | 1 × 10⁻⁶ | 1 ppm (part per million) |
| 1 ng/g | 1 × 10⁻⁹ | 1 ppb (part per billion) |
| 0.001 ng/g (1 picogram) | 1 × 10⁻¹² | 1 ppt (part per trillion) |
| 0.000001 ng/g (1 femtogram) | 1 × 10⁻¹⁵ | 1 ppq (part per quadrillion) |
When comparing concentrations of toxins from different tests, research trials, or scientific articles, it is important to make the distinction that Vibrant Total Tox Burden reports concentrations of heavy metals, environmental chemicals, and mycotoxins expressed as micrograms (µg) or nanograms (ng) per gram creatinine, not by urine volume (e.g., ng/mL, µg/L, or mg/L). Adjusting to urine creatinine accounts for urine volume and dilution variations.
How small is parts per quadrillion? Well, if you had a pie and cut that pie into a quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) pieces, the ICP-MS can detect 1 tiny piece of that pie.