Cost-Effective Analysis Of Major, Minor And Trace Elements In Foodstuffs Using The 4100 MP-AES

Whether the goal is food safety, ensuring quality or establishing provenance, measuring the trace element content of foods and beverages that we all consume is of paramount importance. While some elements are essential for our well being at low concentrations, others like lead and chromium are highly toxic and more still are being linked to viral, neurological and other diseases. Food scares related to contamination or poor quality not only constitute a health risk, they also undermine consumer confi dence. This can lead to lost earnings through reduced sales and loss of credibility through adverse publicity.

Atomic spectroscopy is well established for the analysis of metals in foods and the technique employed often depends on the requirements of the application in terms of elements of interest, expected concentrations, and number and type of samples. Other important procurement factors that infl uence instrument selection include purchase and operational budget for consumables, gases, power and labor, as well as service and maintenance costs.

With lab budgets coming under increasing pressure, Agilent has expanded its atomic spectroscopy portfolio to include the 4100 Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer (MP-AES). MP-AES is a new analytical technique that uses a microwave-induced nitrogen plasma to provide elemental analysis, with signifi cantly reduced running costs through the use of nitrogen as its plasma gas.