Units for zinc protoporphyrin:
(1) µg/dL or µmol/L whole blood (assuming a hematocrit of 42% or 45%, depending on source)
(2) per dL or L packed red blood cells = (whole blood volume in dL) * (hematocrit)/ 100
(3) µg or µmole per mole heme
(4) µg per gram hemoglobin
Molecular weight of zinc protoporphyrin IX: 626.03
Conversion of µg/dL ZPP to µmol/L: 0.0160 (or 10/626.03)
Molecular weight of heme: 616.5
Conversion of heme in g/dL to mol/L: 0.01622
Conversion of heme in mg/dL to mol/L: 1.622 * 10^(-5)
Each molecule of hemoglobin has 4 heme molecules.
Molecular weight of hemoglobin: 64,500
Conversion factor hemoglobin g/dL to mol/L: 0.133
zinc protoporphyrine in µmol per mol heme =
= (zinc protoporphyrin in µmol/L) / (heme in mol/L)
zinc protoporphyrine in µmol per L packed RBCs=
= (zinc protoporphyrin in µmol/L whole blood) / (volume RBC in L per L whole blood)
