Speciation of arsenic in baby foods and the raw fish ingredients using liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry

The speciation of arsenic in different baby foods and the raw fish ingredients using the direct hybridisation of liquid chromatography (LC) and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) is described. Good resolution of the species, arsenic(III), dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and arsenic(V) is achieved using an anion-exchange column with potassium phosphate as the mobile phase and gradient elution. Arsenobetaine (AsB) is determined by on-line oxidation using peroxydisulphate and hydride generation. The arsenicals were extracted by an enzymatic digestion procedure based on the action of trypsin or pancreatin. Arsenobetaine was the only arsenic species detected. The reliability of the procedure was checked by analyzing the total arsenic content of the samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with microwave-oven digestion and by analyzing a certified reference material. The arsenic content in the baby foods comes from the raw fish ingredients and is highest when plaice is used.