Roxarsone, (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)arsonic acid, is
an arsenic-containing
compound that has been approved as a feed additive for poultry and
swine since the 1940s; however, little information is available regarding
residual arsenic species present in edible tissues. We developed a
novel method for the extraction and quantification of arsenic species
in chicken liver. A strongly basic solution solubilized the liver,
and ultrafiltration removed macromolecules and particulate material.
Ion chromatography separated the species [arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic
acid, dimethylarsinic acid, (4-hydroxy-3-aminophenyl)arsonic acid,
(4-hydroxy-3-acetaminophenyl)arsonic acid, and roxarsone] in the extracts,
which were then detected by inductively coupled plasma–mass
spectrometry. The extraction oxidized most arsenite to arsenate. For
fortification concentrations at 2 μg kg–1 and
above, recoveries ranged from 70 to 120%, with relative standard deviations
from 7 to 34%. We detected roxarsone, its 3-amino and 3-acetamido
metabolites, inorganic arsenic, and additional unknown arsenic species
in livers from roxarsone-treated chickens. Both the originating laboratory
and a second laboratory validated the method.
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