Determination of Arsenic in Nuts by AAS – Method Verification and Uncertainty Estimation

Abstract

This work focuses on optimisation of arsenic determination in nuts by AAS and in-house validation including the estimation of uncertainty using the top-down approach. All samples were digested by microwave mineralisation prior to analysis. Optimisation of conditions for electrothermal atomization (temperature program, modi­fiers, radiation source) and hydride generation (reduction reagent, atomization temperature) was performed. Both techniques were subsequently applied to determination of As in different parts of several types of nuts. The results of the in-house validation and uncertainty estimation obtained by analysis of certified reference materials are shown.