DETERMINATION OF TRACE CADMIUM IN 24-H DIETS BY GRAPHITE-FURNACE ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

An analytical procedure for the determination of trace Cd in 24-h diet s with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is developed an d validated. Closed-vessel microwave acid digestion was used for the s ample dissolution. To evaluate the bias of the method, reference mater ials were analyzed, and the results are in good agreement with the cer tified values. The precision of the method was evaluated by the analys is of a total diet sample and the repeatability and reproducibility (R SD) are 1.4% and 7.3%, respectively. The limit of detection and the li mit of quantification in the dry product are 0.004 and 0.012 mu g/g, r espectively. Cd is determined in 28 total diet samples collected durin g 7 days at four locations in Belgium. The estimated daily Cd dietary intake in Belgium is 18.4 +/- 6.0 mu g, which is acceptable compared w ith the ADI (60 mu g/day) established by the FAO/WHO.