Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

Simultaneous Determination of As, Cu, Cr, Se, Sn, Cd, Sb and Pb Levels in Infant Formulas by ICP-MS after Microwave-Assisted Digestion: Method Validation

Abstract

Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Gaetano Cammilleri, Andrea Macaluso, Antonio Vella, Giuseppe Giangrosso, Mirella Vazzana and Vincenzo Ferrantelli

The growing importance of chemical measurements has greatly pressured the development of measures to improve the quality of analytical results and to guarantee quality to the end users. In this work an ICP-MS method was validated for the simultaneous determination of essential trace elements (Chromium, Selenium and Copper) and non-essential toxic elements (Cadmium, Antimony, Arsenic, Tin and Lead) in infant formula available in Sicily. The extraction of samples was performed by a microwave assisted digestion with HNO3 to stabilize these elements. Several parameters have been taken into account and evaluated for the validation of method: selectivity/specificity, trueness by recovery, repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility at three levels of concentration, instrumental detection limit, limit of determination (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), range of linearity, standard measurement uncertainty. Results indicate that this method could be used in the laboratory for the routine determination of these 8 essential and non-essential elements in infant formulas with acceptable analytical performance.