A Sensitive Method for the Measurement of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice: Hydride Generation (HG)/Photoionization (PID)

Accepted for presentation in the Sunday Poster Session at AAAS Boston February 17, 2013 at the Hynes Convention Center Boston, MA

Title:

 A Sensitive Method for the Measurement of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice: Hydride Generation (HG)/Photoionization (PID)

Subject Category:

 Environment and Ecology

Session Selection:

 AAAS General Poster Session

Slot:

 : Sunday, February 17, 2013: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM

 Authors: Jack N. Driscoll¹ , PID Analyzers, LLC, 2 Washington Circle, #4, Sandwich, Massachusetts, US, 02563, United States

2. Jennifer L Maclachlan¹ , PID Analyzers, LLC, 2 Washington Circle, #4, Sandwich, Massachusetts, US, 02563, United States 

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Abstract Body: 

In January of 2012, Consumer Reports found 10% of apple juice samples tested from five brands had total arsenic levels above the drinking water standard of 10 parts per billion. Most of that arsenic was inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen. American apple juice is made from apple concentrate, a majority of which is imported from China. Inorganic Arsenic has been detected as AsH₃ following hydride reduction and AA or ICP MS. The cost of these types of spectrometers is in the $60-200K price range.

Many labs would have to choose the older colorimetric methods but we have developed and modified the a simple and sensitive hydride generation-PID method for arsenic in water analysis at ppb levels (1) to work with food and juice. The system cost is a fraction of the $60K spectrometer price.

We will describe the modifications of a new method for arsenic in apple juice.

1.       Driscoll, JN and GA Cutter, “Total and Speciated Arsenic Compounds in Water by Photoionization and Gas Chromatography/PID”in "Toxic Trace Metal Remobilization & Remediation - A Geochemical Body of Work" to be published by the ACS (2012)