Non-chromatographic speciation of inorganic arsenic in mushrooms by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

A non-chromatographic speciation method has been developed for the determination of inorganic arsenic in cultivated and wild mushroom samples from different origins. The ultrasound-assisted extraction of the toxic arsenic species As (III) and As (V) was performed for 10 min with 1 mol l −1 H 3PO 4 and 0.1% (m/v) Triton X-100. After phase separation the residue was washed with 0.1% (w/v) EDTA and centrifuged. As (III) and As (V) were determined by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Speciation was made using proportional equations corresponding to two different measurement conditions, (i) directly feeding sample extracts diluted with HCl and (ii) after reduction with KI and ascorbic acid for 30 min. The limits of detection of the method were 6.3 and 5.0 ng g −1 for As (III) and As (V), respectively. Recovery percentages varied between 91% and 108% for As (III) and from 90% to 109% for As (V) indicating that As species interconversion was avoided. As (III) concentrations from 264 to 81 μg g −1 and As (V) concentrations from 246 to 59 μg g −1 were found in Spanish cultivated mushrooms. For Chinese wild mushrooms As (III) varied between 624 and 117 μg g −1 and As (V) from 380 to less than 5 μg g −1. The accuracy of the method was checked by the determination of total As (from the sum of As (III) and As (V)) in a tomato leaves reference sample, with good agreement with the certified value.