Quantification of seven arsenic compounds in seafood products by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS)

Abstract

A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) method was developed to quantify seven arsenic compounds: arsenate (As(V)), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenobetaine (AB), trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO), arsenocholine (AC) and tetramethylarsonium ion (TEMA), widely found in seafood. The arsenicals separated by anion- or cation-exchange LC were all readily identified under the optimized ESI-MS conditions. Linear calibration curves constructed by plotting the peak area counts of molecular ions against the arsenic concentrations were obtained for all seven arsenic compounds. The limits of quantification (S/N = 10) were 800, 600, 50, 10, 5, 5 and 5 ng ml−1 for As(V), MMA, DMA, AB, TMAO, AC and TEMA, respectively. The LC/ESI-MS method was found to be useful to quantify arsenic compounds in seafood by model experiments using the mid-gut gland and muscle of a shellfish (Buccinid whelks). Spiking experiments verified the accuracy of the method.