Determination of arsenic, tin and antimony in food by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

Determination of arsenic, tin and antimony in food by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry was investigated. Food was wet-oxidized with nitric acid and sulfuric acid, and some of the oxidized solution was prereduced by heating with potassium iodide solution. Arsine, stannane and stibine were generated with 3% sodium borohydride, and introduced into a quartz tube cell atomizer heated at 900°C and then arsenic, tin and antimony were determined. The calibration curves of arsenic, tin and antimony were linear in the range from 10ng to 80ng. The detection limits (S/N=2) were 2ng, 1ng and 2ng for arsenic, tin and antimony, respectively. This analytical method was used for the determination of arsenic, tin and antimony in foods.