Development of a simple and fast ultrasound-assisted extraction method for trace element determination in tobacco samples using ICP-MS

Abstract

The current study describes a simple and fast method for the determination of Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb in tobacco samples. Commercial cigarettes obtained from local market stores were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after ultrasound-assisted extraction in acidic medium, and the results were compared to those obtained following microwave-assisted digestion of the samples. The sonication time was evaluated from 0 to 60 min, and a 30min extraction time was selected. The concentration of HNO3 was also optimised at 0.7molL(-1). In order to verify the accuracy of the proposed method, a certified reference material was submitted to the same extraction protocol adopted for the samples, and good agreement with the certified values was obtained at a 95% confidence level, except for Co. The extraction of Pb was also semi-quantitative. A total of four tobacco samples were analysed, with concentrations ranging from 0.4 for Cr to 214.6 mu gg(-1) for Mn. The proposed method was demonstrated to be fast, sensitive, precise and accurate for the determination of Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn an Ni and for the semi-quantitative analysis of Co and Pb in tobacco samples

The use of ultrasound in the South Cone region. Advances in organic and inorganic synthesis and in analytical methods

“…The same extraction solvent (diluted nitric acid) has been used in several extractions. One of the applications was a method developed by researchers from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina and INCT de Energia e Ambiente do CNPq (Brazil) to determine metals in tobacco samples using an ultrasonic bath at 40 kHz and 200 W (Thornton, model T50, São Paulo, Brazil) [84] . A collaborative work between researchers from Brazil and Sweden to determine lead in atmospheric particulate samples using a Quimis® 164 ultrasonic bath (Diadema, SP, Brazil) (Frequency 50/60 Hz) was developed [85] .…”