Femtosecond Laser Ablation–Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (fsLA-ICP-MS) for Direct Elemental Analysis of Rice

Abstract

Easy, safe, and rapid quantitative methods to determine trace elements in agricultural products are required for efficient food safety management. Microwave-assisted digestion is traditionally used for trace elements in agricultural samples and accurate results and high selectivity are obtained. However, this procedure involves sample preparation, mixing, and extraction, which increases the time and complexity. Here we present femtosecond laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (fsLA-ICP-MS) to quantify arsenic, cadmium, and lead in rice. The recoveries by fsLA-ICP-MS for As, Cd, and Pb were 118.1%, 96.9%, and 87.1%, respectively, and 102%, 96.9%, and 107% by ICP-MS. The results by these techniques correlated well (>0.94) with the previously determined concentrations. The results confirm that fsLA-ICP-MS may be used to quantify trace elements in rice and is a promising, inexpensive, and easy-to-use alternative to traditional methods for food analysis.