Arsenolipids in commercial canned cod liver: An occurrence and distribution study

Abstract

Arsenolipids (AsL) of the type arsenic-containing fatty acids (AsFA) and hydrocarbons (AsHC) are known to occur in seafood and their identification is today a challenge due to the need of data for toxicological assessment. The aim of this investigation was to enhance the data concerning AsL in commercial canned cod liver. Therefore, the present study focuses on the quantification and identification of AsL by LC-ICP-MS combined with ESI-MS. The molecular structure of 17 AsL was elucidated on the basis of their exact mass and their product ion spectra and two new AsFA tentatively identified. The total arsenic concentration in four different canned cod liver analyzed by ICP-MS ranged from 2.6 to 5.5 mg As/kg with an extraction recovery of 98%. The AsL detected by RP-IPC-MS comprise 58-95% of the total arsenic content, indicating that AsL are a major class of arsenic in canned cod liver. Much of the AsL detected in the canned cod liver extracts are, however, not yet identified. Practical applications:The results obtained in the present research show the possibility to apply the current extraction and detection method in different biological samples for the determination of AsL. Additionally, this information can be used for further studies to assess the risk of AsL for consumer health. On the other hand, the MS/MS results could be used for the future identification of AsL without the ICP-MS detection and thus, low the cost of the analysis.

Measurement of arsenic species in environmental, biological fluids and food samples by HPLC-ICPMS and HPLC-HG-AFS

“…To extract arseno-lipids from fish tissues or oils, hexane [92,160], methanol [162][163][164][165], ether [166], chloroform/methanol (2:1 v/v) [108,109,[167][168][169][170][171][172][173], hexane-methanol [14] and hexanemethanol-dichloromethane [174], and methanol-dichloromethane [175] have been used. When methanol is used in conjuntion with dichloromethane as a component of the solvent mixture, greater recoveries of the arsenic phospholipids are obtained [175].…”

A study of lipid- and water-soluble arsenic species in liver of Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) containing high levels of total arsenic

“…The AsHCs, first identified in capelin oil, were subsequently also linked to fatty acids [14]. A range of AsFAs and AsHCs have been identified in oil of both canned and fresh cod liver [16,19,[29][30][31]. Large variations in the proportion of arsenolipids were reported for cod liver, ranging from 25 to 77% of the total arsenic present [19,30].…”

Synthesis of two new arsenolipids and their identification in fish

“…As can be seen (Fig. , spiked sample, gray line), the synthesized AsL 2 (AsHC 374) coleutes with AsHC 360 ( m/z 361, C 19 H 42 AsO) which is shorter by one methyl group and previously reported as natural product in herring fillet , cod liver, and canned cod liver . HR‐MS/MS (Fig.…”

“…Since Rumpler et al reported for the first time the molecular structure of several arsenic‐containing fatty acids (AsFA) in cod liver oil, many studies have been directed to their detection and identification in several marine organisms, mostly in fish specimen . Many AsL have been found in fish oils , fish tissue , and commercial canned fish liver . Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) coupled in parallel to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and to high resolution mass spectrometry (HR‐MS) has been successfully applied for the tentative identification of AsL in marine samples .…”

“…Many AsL have been found in fish oils , fish tissue , and commercial canned fish liver . Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) coupled in parallel to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and to high resolution mass spectrometry (HR‐MS) has been successfully applied for the tentative identification of AsL in marine samples .…”