High resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICPMS) determination and multivariate evaluation of 10 trace elements in mussels from 7 sites in Limfjorden, Denmark

The contents of V, Cr, Ca, Ni, Cu, Ga, Rb, Cd, Ba, and Pb in the soft tissu e of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) were determined by a high resolution indu ctively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICPMS) method, Sample digestio ns were performed in closed microwave Vessels using nitric acid and hydroge n peroxide. Using HR-ICPMS it is possible to resolve the analytical peaks f rom otherwise interfering polyatomic ions with a mass resolution setting of 4000 (Cr, Ni, Cu). The proposed method was validated using a mussel tissue reference material (NIST SRM 2974). The proposed method was applied to rea l samples of blue mussel from seven sites in the inlet "Limfjorden", Denmar k, and the levels of trace elements found were compared with the levels fou nd in an earlier study. For the mussel samples large inter-regional differe nces in trace element concentrations in the tissues were recorded. The muss els from the different sites could be separated using principal component a nalysis (PCA). Comparison with the levels of trace elements in mussels foun d in 1982 showed that the trace elemental contamination has increased durin g the last 15 years. From the data obtained, mussel tissue appears to be go od bio-indicator for identification of coastal areas exposed to metallic co ntaminants.