The properties of an element are highly dependent on its chemical form, it’s called elemental speciation. This study evaluates the arsenic species found in a range of food stuffs together with growing environments and toxicity issues. Total arsenic concentrations in fish tissue and vegetable crops were determined by ICP-MS following microwave-assisted acid digestion using nitric acid/hydrogen peroxide, trypsin and cellulase enzymatic extraction procedures. The extracted arsenic species were then quantified using HPLC-ICP-MS. A dilute nitric acid (1 % (v/v)) digestion procedure was also used to extract arsenic species from rice and the different parts (root, skin, stem, leaf and grain) of a range of plant crops. The study was extended to include the aqua-regia extractable arsenic content of the soils collected from the area where the plants had been cultivated in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Irrigation water was also investigated, but found to contain low levels of arsenic. An anion-exchange HPLC-ICP-MS method was developed, using sulphate and phosphate, for the separation and quantification of AsB, MMA, DMA, InAsIII and InAsV. The results obtained for fish samples were in the range of 3.53-98.80 µg g-1 (dry weight) with non-toxic AsB being the predominant species. The InAsV concentration was in the range of 0.1-1.19 µg g-1 for all fish species except for the John Dory which was below the limit of detection (0.027 µg g-1). Total arsenic, arsenic species, and total multi-elements (including Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Ti, V and Zn) were determined in rice samples from Kurdistan, Iraq and other regions of geographical origin. The transport of arsenic from the soil and irrigation water into roots, stem, leaf and subsequently into the grain or bean of the plants is important when assessing the potential health risks from food crops. For the soil sample, InAsV was found to be the major species with smaller quantities of InAsIII . After applying a full BCR sequential extraction procedure to the soils, it was found that 7.87 - 21.14 % of the total arsenic was present in an easily acid-soluble extractable form. Finally, a novel method was developed to measure total arsenic and arsenic species associated with vegetative DNA. In rice plant, it was found that InAsV incorporated within the DNA molecule in which it could replace phosphate. It was also found that the concentration of InAsV associated with DNA molecule decreased with decreasing total arsenic in the rice plant from the root to the leaf.

Arsenic (As) is a problem with rice production systems throughout the world as high As concentrations are reported in rice grains originating from several parts of the world. This characteristic is mainly due to the flooded conditions utilized in rice culture. We hypothesized that the soluble As concentrations in the rice rhizosphere can be decreased by growing rice more aerobically through intermittent flooding. Intermittent water management practices might also change microbial populations in the rice rhizosphere that might potentially impact As chemistry and bioavailability. Two field-scale experiments were conducted over two years to study the impact of intermittent and continuous flooding on As speciation and microbial populations in the rice rhizosphere. As levels and speciation in the rhizosphere soil, root-plaque and pore-water were determined using a high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasmamass spectroscopy (HPLC-ICP-MS). The microbial populations were assessed from the rhizosphere soil and root-plaque samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing. Pore-water and root-plaque total-As concentrations significantly decreased in the intermittent compared to the continuous flood plots. Inorganic arsenite (iAsIII) was predominant in pore-water and inorganic arsenate (iAsV) in root-plaque and soil. Rootplaque sequestered significantly higher levels of As (almost tenfold higher) than the adjacent rhizosphere soil. Grain As concentrations also decreased by 35 to 45 percent in the intermittent compared to the continuously flooded plots. Organic As species, monomethyl and dimethyl arsenate were detected in the rhizosphere with relative increases and decreases among the treatments. Bacteria were the predominant group (91 to 94 percent and 48 to 78 percent of total community in root-plaque and rhizosphere soils, respectively). Archaea were also a major component of rhizosphere soil with their populations being higher under continuous flooding. The relative abundance of iron-reducing bacteria was around 3 to 6 percent of the total community in root-plaque and around 6 to 6 percent in soil, with significantly lower abundance in the intermittent compared to the continuously flooded plots. Results of these studies demonstrated that intermittent flooding could be a potential management option to reduce grain As in rice cultivated on fields with moderate to high As concentrations.

ABSTRACT ARSENIC SPECIATION IN FISH BY HPLC-ICP-MS &Ouml / ZCAN, Sefika Eroglu M.S., Department of Chemistry Supervisor: Prof. Dr. O. Yavuz ATAMAN September 2010, 103 pages Arsenic speciation in fish samples on the market was performed using isocratic elution with cation exchange column high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Total As concentrations were found by ICP-MS using samples digested by nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution using microwave oven digestion / the results were in the range of 1.15-12.6 &micro / g/g. Separation of organic arsenicals, namely arsenobetaine (AB), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MA), have been achieved in 12 minutes. Freeze-dried samples were extracted by deionized water with a shaker system / the concentrations of AB and DMA in the extract was then determined using HPLC-ICP-MS. The accuracy of the method for determining AB concentration was confirmed using certified reference material (CRM), DOLT 4 (dog fish liver) / for this CRM only preliminary data are available for AB. The arsenic compounds in 6 fish muscle samples were investigated. The predominant arsenic compound found in extracts was AB / the concentrations were in the range of 0.86-12.0 &micro / g/g. DMA concentration was 0.40&plusmn / 0.03 &micro / g/g in one of the samples / in the others it was below the limit of quantation (0.21 &micro / g/g).

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A method was developed for the determination of total arsenic in rice grain by microwave-assisted digestion inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Standard calibration solutions were matrix-matched with respect to acid concentration and carbon content post-digest. The importance of eliminating the drying step during sample preparation procedures was investigated. The method was validated with spikes containing standard arsenate solutions into the rice matrix, and with certified reference material SRM1568a (rice flour) from NIST. The method was successfully applied to a commercially available rice sample. Four arsenic species [arsenate (As(V)), arsenite (As(III)), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA)] were extracted from rice grains by microwave-assisted extraction and separated with high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The method includes a novel sample clean-up step involving a dialysis procedure to decrease the amount of large starch molecules in the injection solution, in order to minimize poor resolution of chromatographic peaks and maximize column life. The method was validated with spikes of standard arsenic solutions, added to the rice matrix before the extraction procedure. Literature reference values for arsenic species quantification in SRM1568a (rice flour) were also compared. This method was successfully applied to a commercially available rice sample. A study into improvements in reverse phase-HPLC separations of arsenic species was conducted. For the first time, a Sunfire C8 column from Waters (Milford, CT) was employed for the separation of arsenic species in rice extracts. This column was compared to a Symmetry C8 column with respect to total elution time, detection limits, interference effects, and column life, and evaluated with respect to peak resolution, shifts in retention times, and peak symmetry.

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[pt] A qualidade de produtos alimentícios tem recebido especial atenção devido a sua importância na nutrição e saúde humanas. Neste sentido, a determinação de metais traço em alimentos tem se convertido em importante campo na análise de alimentos. Em relação aos óleos vegetais, a sua composição em termos de metais traço é um critério relevante para a avaliação da qualidade, uma vez que se sabe que estes metais afetam a sua taxa de oxidação, influenciando as suas características e no seu armazenamento. Por outro lado, cereais e outros alimentos de origem vegetal são especialmente relevantes na alimentação humana, uma vez que são a base da dieta de muitas populações do mundo. No presente trabalho, foi desenvolvido um método analítico para determinação direta de Cu e Ni em óleos vegetais por Espectrometria de Absorção Atômica no Forno de Grafite (GFAAS): as amostras foram pesadas diretamente em uma plataforma de grafite e introduzidas no atomizador, com o auxílio de um acessório de amostragem de sólidos. O programa de temperatura otimizado permitiu o uso de soluções de calibração aquosas. A exatidão do procedimento foi confirmada pela boa concordância entre os resultados obtidos pelo procedimento proposto e por procedimentos comparativos. Os limites de detecção foram de 0,001 e 0,002 μg g-1 para Cu e Ni, respectivamente, nas amostras originais. Em continuação, empregou-se a técnica de fluorescência atômica para a determinação do conteúdo total de As, Sb, Se, Te e Bi em amostras vegetais, de cereais e legumes, após calcinação por via seca. Foram otimizados os parâmetros relativos a geração dos hidretos, assim como os parâmetros de fluorescência. Testes de adição de analito, assim como a análise de materiais certificados de referência, garantiram a exatidão do procedimento. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que as amostras estudadas encontraramse todas, nos limites preconizados pela legislação européia. Finalmente, uma metodologia analítica não cromatográfica, rápida, sensível e simples foi desenvolvida para a quantificação de espécies tóxicas de arsênio em arroz, sêmola, acelga e berinjela. Estas espécies foram extraídas com H3PO4 1 mol L-1 + Triton XT-114 0,1%, assistida por ultra-som, seguindo-se a lavagem com EDTA 0,1% (m/v). As espécies As(III), As(V), DMA e MMA foram quantificadas no extrato por espectrometria de fluorescência atômica por geração de hidretos utilizando um sistema de equações proporcionais, que correspondem a quatro condições experimentais diferentes. Os valores de limite de detecção do método foram 1,3 (3,15); 0,9 (2,97); 1,5 (0.46) e 0,6 (0,37) ng g- 1 para As(III), As(V), DMA e MMA, respectivamente, nas amostras de cereais e vegetais, expressos em termos do peso seco da amostra. Os estudos da recuperação mostraram porcentagens maiores que 90% para as quatro espécies consideradas. A análise de especiação de um material de referência de farinha de arroz certificado para arsênio total mostrou resultados coerentes e concordantes com outros estudos com ele realizados. / [en] The quality of food products has received a special attention due to its influence in the human health and nutrition. Thus, trace metal determination in foods has turned an important field in food analysis. Concerning vegetal oils, its metal trace metal composition is a criterion for the assessment of their quality since it is known that these metals affect their rate of oxidation, influencing its characteristics and storage management. As part of the present work the direct determination of Cu and Ni in vegetal oils by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS), using the solid sampling strategy was developed: The samples were weighed on a graphite platform boat and inserted in the graphite tube. An adequate temperature program allowed the calibration by external aqueous calibration curves. A good agreement between the results arisen from the proposed and two comparative procedures (EPA 3031 and EPA 3051) confirmed the accuracy of the proposed procedure. The limits of detention in the original samples were 0.002 and 0.001 ìg g-1 for Cu and Ni, respectively. A second part of the work has dealt with the determination of the total content of As, Sb, Se, Te and Bi in samples of vegetable, cereals and pulses by HG AFS. The samples were dry ashed by a proper ashing program, and the hydride generation parameters were optimized, as well as those related to the fluorescence emission. Recovery testes and the analysis of certified reference materials testified the accuracy of the procedure. The content of the studied elements in studied samples were all below those of the European regulation. Finally, a fast, sensitive and simple non chromatographic methodology was developed for the speciation analysis of toxic arsenic species in rice, wheat semolina, chard and aubergines samples. Ultrasound assisted extraction of the toxic arsenic species was carried with 1 mol of L-1 H3PO4 and 0.1% (m/v) Triton XT-114. After the extraction, As(III), As(V), DMA and MMA were quantified by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry at four different experimental conditions. The fluorescence intensities derived from these four measurements were introduced in a system of four proportional equations, permitting the calculation of the individual species concentration.. The detection limits were 1.3 (3.2), 0.9 (3.0), 1.5 (0.5)) and 0.6 (0,5) ng g-1 for As(III), As(V), DMA and MMA, respectively in the cereals and (vegetable) samples, expressed in terms of the dry weight. Recoveries greater than 90% for the four considered species in samples spiked at 100 ng g-1 level were obtained as well as the assurance of no species interconversion. The speciation analysis of a rice flour reference material certified for total arsenic led to coherent results, which were also in agreement with other speciation studies made on the same CRM.

Submitted by Alexandre Sousa (alexandre.sousa@incqs.fiocruz.br) on 2014-11-13T16:33:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Mestrado_Juliana_Bastos.pdf: 3008760 bytes, checksum: 6a883fe6f24ba6c24cbbd32d2edd1d22 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-13T16:33:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mestrado_Juliana_Bastos.pdf: 3008760 bytes, checksum: 6a883fe6f24ba6c24cbbd32d2edd1d22 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Vigilância Sanitária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. / O arsênio (As) é um elemento químico importante para a saúde do homem sendo considerado como reconhecidamente carcinogênico para humanos. Está amplamente disseminado no ambiente e chega ao homem através das águas e dos alimentos. Dos alimentos de origem terrestre, o arroz tem significativa importância devido à sua capacidade de acumular o As em concentrações muito mais elevadas que o trigo ou o centeio e capazes de impactar a saúde dos consumidores. Os efeitos biológicos do As estão intimamente relacionados às suas formas químicas e a seus estados de oxidação (especiação química). Em geral seus compostos inorgânicos são mais tóxicos que os orgânicos e os sais de As (III) são mais tóxicos que os de As (V). Com a finalidade de sugerir um valor provisório, para a ingestão semanal máxima tolerável de As inorgânico, o Comitê Conjunto de Especialistas sobre Aditivos em Alimentos da Organização Mundial da Saúde/Organização das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e Agricultura (JECFA/FAO/WHO) recomendou recentemente através do Codex Alimentarius o limite máximo permissível em arroz de 0,3 mg kg-1 para As total ou inorgânico, valor também adotado pela ANVISA. De acordo com o relatório de Março de 2012 do Comitê do Codex de Contaminantes em Alimentos das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e Agricultura (JECFA/FAO/WHO), no Brasil faz-se apenas determinação de As total. Com o intuito de contribuir para suprir esta lacuna, este trabalho foi realizado. Para isso, estudou-se a aplicabilidade de um método de determinação da concentração de As total avaliando-se seu comportamento frente a 4 amostras certificadas de farinha de arroz. Os resultados obtidos, sempre superiores a 92% de recuperação, atestam a validade deste método. Em seguida, 24 amostras de produtos sem glútem, adquiridos no comércio foram analisadas e os resultados situaram-se entre 33 e 301 mg kg-1. Das amostras analisadas, 2 encontram-se acima dos limites recomendados. Procedimento semelhante foi utilizado nos estudos da especiação quando avaliou-se 16 amostras adquiridas no comércio. Obteve-se resultados compatíveis com os relatados nos materiais certificados mas observou-se grande variabilidade (de 13 a 97%) quando o somatório das frações foram comparados às concentrações de As total mostrando significativos efeitos matriciais. / Arsenic is toxicologically, a very important chemical element. It is classified as group 1 carcinogen by the IARC. This element is widely dispersed on the environment and it can reach the man through ingestion of contaminated water or food. Among the terrestrial foodstuffs, rice is the most important since it can concentrate As from the soil at levels sufficient high to impact the human health. The biological effects of this element are dependent of its chemical forms (speciation). It is know that in general, the inorganic forms are much more hazardous than the organic ones. In order to prevent any health effects caused by ingestion of As contaminated food, the Codex Alimentarius, published by JEFCA/WHO/FAO, recently recommended as maximum allowed intake of As via rice as 300 mg.kg-1. The Brazilian Health Authority (ANVISA) also recommends this value. According to the “Proposed draft maximum levels for arsenic in rice” published by the Codex Alimentarius Commission entitled published in March 2012, in Brazil only the concentration of total arsenic is measured. In order to contribute to fill this gap this work was carried out. In this study the applicability of a selected methodology for total As determination was evaluated and 4 certified reference materials were used in this step. The obtained results were consistently > 95% of recovering assuring the good performance of this methodology. In advance, 24 samples of commercial products without gluten collected in the market were evaluated and the obtained results were from 33 to 301 mg.kg-1 being 2 of those samples with concentration higher than the recommended value. Identical procedure was used on speciation studies. In this case, 16 samples were evaluated and the content of total As was compared with the summation of concentration of all As forms present. A great variability ranging from 13 to 97% was obtained showing great interference of the product matrix.