Fast extraction methodologies for the determination of toxic arsenic in meat

Summary A nonchromatographic analytical procedure has been developed for the determination of arsenic in meat samples including the major toxic arsenic species arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid ( MMA ) and dimetylarsinic acid ( DMA ). The method is based on the extraction of arsenic species in mild conditions, selective trivalent hydride formation and final determination by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectroscopy ( HG ‐ AFS ). Different extractant agents and two different procedures, microwave‐assisted extraction ( MAE ) and ultrasound assisted extraction at room temperature, were evaluated for As species extraction. The method provided a limit of detection of 0.013 ng mL −1 and a mean relative standard deviation in actual samples of 0.3%. Data found for toxic As in meat samples varied from 0.42 ng g −1 in chicken muscle to 68 ng g −1 in pork liver. Percentage of toxic As respect to total As varied in the 9–46% range depending on the meat product.