Application of ICP
techniques for food
analysis
Dr. FUNG Wai Hong
Government Laboratory
13.07.2016
Outline
Determination of trace elements and minerals in food
ICP for
food analysis: basic principle, advantage,
– an overview
practical importance
ICP-OES
ICP-MS
Future perspectives
Elements in Food
Amount of different elements in foodstuff –
Nutritional value: essential minerals: Ca, K, P……
Safety: toxic elements: Cd, Hg, Pb……
Common measurement protocol:
Sample dissolution – e.g. acid digestion, hydrolysis…
Spectroscopic analysis
Optical spectroscopy: atomic absorption, atomic emission,
optical emission spectroscopy (ICP, MIP..)
Mass spectrometry (ICP)
Inductively Coupled Plasma
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) – a plasma energized by inductively
heating the flowing gas (Ar), contains a sufficient concentration of ions and
electrons to make the gas electrically conductive
the hot plasma (6000 to 10000K) produces excited atoms and ions
Aerosol in
desolvation
decomposition/
atomisation
M-X
M
excitation /
ionisation
M* or M+*
M-X
Small
droplet
ICP Techniques
ICP-optical (atomic) emission spectroscopy, ICP-OES
excited atoms and ions emit electromagnetic radiation at
wavelengths characteristic of a particular element
intensity of this emission is indicative of the concentration of the
element within the sample.
ICP-mass spectrometry, ICP-MS
Ions from the plasma are extracted into a mass spectrometer
The ions are separated on the basis of their mass-to-charge
ratio and a detector receives an ion signal proportional to the
concentration.
ICP – Application
ICP-OES / ICP-MS:
Examination of elements from % to sub-ppb levels
Using for the determination of elements in various matrices
Environmental analysis – elements in air, water, soil, waste…
Material analysis – e.g. toxic elements in plastic
Food analysis
Adopted by many International and National Organizations as
Standard Methods for the determination of elements in general
and specific food matrices
AOAC (1)
AOAC Official Method 984.27 (Final action 1986) — Calcium,
Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium,
Sodium, and Zinc in Infant Formula: Inductively Coupled Plasma
Emission Spectroscopic Method
AOAC Official Method 2006.03 (Final action 2009) — Arsenic,
Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Lead, Molybdenum, Nickel, and
Selenium in Fertilizers: Microwave Digestion and Inductively
Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry
AOAC Official Method 2011.14 (Final action 2013) — Calcium,
Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Phosphorus,
Sodium, and Zinc in Fortified Food Products: Microwave Digestion
and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry
AOAC (2)
AOAC Official Method 2011.19 (Final action 2014) —
Chromium, Selenium, and Molybdenum in Infant Formula and
Adult Nutritional Products: Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass
Spectrometry (ISO/IDF–AOAC Method*)
AOAC Official Method 2012.15 (Final action 2015) — Total
Iodine in Infant Formula and Adult/Pediatric Nutritional Formula:
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ISO/IDF–AOAC
Method*)
AOAC Official Method 2015.01 (First action 2015) — Heavy
Metals in Food: Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry
AOAC Official Method 2015.06 (First action 2015) — Minerals
and Trace Elements in Infant Formula and Adult/Pediatric
Nutritional Formula: ICP/MS Method