Validation of the Analytical Procedure for Quantitative Determination of Four Trace Metals (As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in Fish Lipids Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

The objective of the present study was to validate the analytical procedure for the quantitative determination of four trace metals (As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in extracted fish lipids using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry, ICP-MS. The extracted lipids using Bligh and Dyer method were digested by means of microwave-assisted acid digestion and introduced into an optimized ICP-MS instrument. The validation of the analytical method was carried out in accordance with the international standards and guidelines outlined in the European Pharmacopeia (2022), which included specificity, selectivity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, precision, and accuracy. The linearity ranges of the calibration curves were R > 0.999, while the relative standard deviation (%RSD) for precision was within 5%. All targeted trace metals have shown mean recoveries between 88.0%-114.9%. The obtained LOD and LOQ values for this analytical protocol indicated the ability to detect and quantify of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg at trace levels. The overall validation confirms the described analytical method was appropriate for routine analyses of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in fish lipids.