Arsenite and arsenate levels in wine.

Abstract

Arsenic is receiving renewed attention because it is released to the atmosphere by coal-fired power plants as well as by smelters and agricultural pesticides. A portion of this arsenic that accumulates on agricultural land may be taken up by plants, animals, and ultimately by man. This study was conducted to establish amounts and chemical forms of arsenic in wines and the changes that occur during fermentation. In this study, 19 samples of domestic table wines were analyzed for several species of arsenic. The samples included 13 varieties of white and red wines. The concentration of arsenite (As/sup +3/), arsenate (As/sup +5/), methylarsonic acid (MAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) were determined using the technique developed by Braman (1973) with modifications (Crecelius, 1974). The concentration of total arsenic was also determined on 4 samples by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) (Mathies, 1974). The levels of arsenic in these wines are of particular interest because half of the samples analyzed greatly exceeded the maximum allowable drinking water standard of 50 ppB (U.S. DEPT. HEW, 1962). Also, most of the arsenic in these wines is present as the highly toxic As/sup +3/ form, which is more toxic to humans than As/sup +5/ (Schroeder and Balassa, 1966).more » The United States does not have an arsenic standard for wine, but Great Britain's maximum tolerable arsenic level in wine is 100 ppB, and several other countries set the limit at 200 ppB (Schneyder, 1973). A maximum value of 20 ppB was once recommended for the United States (Amerine and Cruess, 1960). By comparing the levels of arsenic in these wines with the U.S. drinking water standard of 50 ppB, it is apparent that half of the samples analyzed exceeded this standard.« less