The toxicity of arsenic is species dependent. Inorganic arsenic species such as arsenite (As[III]) and arsenate (As[V]) have been classified as carcinogens. Methylated forms such as monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) have recently been labeled as cancer promoters. Arsenobetaine (AsB), arsenocholine (AsC), and arseno sugars have been found to be relatively nontoxic. This application note describes ASE methods for the extraction of various arsenic species from different food matrices, specifically fish tissue, ribbon kelp, and vegetables grown in contaminated soil.

Inorganic and organic arsenic compounds have very different toxicities, and therefore speciation analysis is needed to assess the potential health risk posed by the food product. Here two inorganic and four organic arsenic species are determined in an apple juice sample using IC coupled to iCAP Q ICP-MS. Arsenic species are first separated by IC using an ammonium carbonate gradient on an IonPac AS7 column. Then the eluting species are detected and quantified by the ICP-MS down to ng/g concentrations. Arsenic speciation is also demonstrated in organic brown rice syrup (OBRS) in AN43126.

Inorganic and organic arsenic compounds have very different toxicities, and therefore speciation analysis is needed to assess the potential health risk posed by the food product. Here two inorganic and four organic arsenic species are determined in an Organic Brown Rice Syrup (OBRS) sample using IC coupled to ICP-MS. Arsenic species are first separated by IC using an ammonium carbonate gradient on a IonPac AS7 column. Then the eluting species are detected and quantified by the ICP-MS down to ng/g concentrations. Arsenic speciation is also demonstrated in apple juice samples (AN43099).

The type, amount, and ratios of volcanic gases characterize and can predict impending volcanic activity and its intensity. Changes in CO2 concentration, SO2-CO2 ratios, or halide gas composition may indicate impending volcanic eruptions. Previous analyses indicate that volcanic gases are primarily composed of CO2, water vapor, and SO2 with trace amounts of arsine and halide gases. The samples are diluted by AutoDilution to determine the major components as anions and neutralized by AutoNeutralization to determine the trace gases as anions.

This application presents a method that detects and quantifies total inorganic arsenic (Arsenate As(V) and Arsenite As(III)) in fruit juices using a high-pressure capillary IC system with suppressed conductivity detection (CD), and with a high-resolution 4 µm particle anion–exchange column AS11-HC-4μm.