News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 42, 2025

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 13th October 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!

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This week we bring you posters by Shimadzu / AOAC and Thermo Fisher Scientific!

1. Shimadzu / AOAC: Determination of Toxic Elements in Chilli Powder using Shimadzu ICPMS-2050

• Poster
• Full PDF for download

Spices, particularly red chillies, are essential and integral part of cuisines, offering not only distinctive flavour and aroma but also provides nutritional and preservative benefits. However, the growing concern of heavy metal contamination in chillies presents a significant threat to food safety, public health, and international trade. Effective monitoring and stringent quality control are essential to safeguard consumer well-being and maintain economic stability.

This study details a precise ICPMS method with ICPMS-2050 for quantifying toxic elements in chilli powder, developed in strict adherence to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)1 regulations. The complex matrix of chilli powder presents significant analytical challenges for the accurate and efficient recovery of trace heavy metal elements. The presence of diverse organic compounds and high oil content can interfere with standard digestion procedures, leading to suboptimal extraction efficiencies and compromised analytical recovery of critical elements such as lead, cadmium and arsenic.

Results 

Quantitation results for As, Cd, Hg & Pb in chilli samples found to be BLOQ. Validation parameters like linearity, recovery and precision were studied to establish LOQs. This method successfully achieved LOQ of 0.250 ppm in sample. The summary results and system stability are shown in Table 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 respectively. As per FSSAI guideline. BLOQ – Below limit of quantitation, LOQ – Limit of quantitation 

Linearity 

NIST traceable calibration standards were used for linearity study and quantification of spiked samples. Six level calibrations curve was plotted for 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10 & 20 ppb concentration levels. For all calibration standards accuracy was found within 80 to 120 % range. 

Recovery 

Recovery was studied at 0.250 ppm spiked samples against calibration curve. Six preparations for each brand of samples were prepared. Mean recoveries were found to be within 80 -120 % at LOQ level (Refer Table 5).

Precision 

For precision, repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility studies were carried out. RSDr : The % RSD for 3 replicates of each sample aspiration at LOQ (0.250 ppm) levels was found to be less than 20 % (Refer Table 6). RSDR : Reproducibility experiment for recoveries was performed on 6 different spiked samples at 0.250 ppm concentration levels. The % RSD of 6 spiked samples at their respective LOQ level was found to be less than 10 % (Refer Table 7). 

Conclusion

• This study demonstrates that the Shimadzu ICPMS system is a reliable and effective instrument for quantifying toxic elements in chilli powder samples.
• Because of the complex nature of chilli powder, higher dilution factor needed to be applied in conjunction with Shimadzu’s Octa-plate Collision Cell technology to minimizes spectral interferences for achieving lower LOQs.
• The Shimadzu ICPMS enables trace-level detection in samples, contributing to enhanced method ruggedness and ensuring consistent, reproducible analyte detection.
• The combination of a highly sensitive instrument and a robust analytical method makes it wellsuited for use in testing laboratories for the analysis of toxic elements in chilli powder.

2. Thermo Fisher Scientific: High sensitivity tin speciation using a new GC interface with Sector Field High Resolution ICP-MS

• Poster
• Full PDF for download
• Often the total elemental concentration of an analyte is not sufficient to accurately assess its impact on the environment or human health. 
• That is because toxicity and mobility are dependent on the species of the analyte. 
• Tin, for example, can be found in a variety of molecules, each with different degrees of toxicity and persistence. 
• Tributyltin (TBT) is widespread in the environment due to its mobile and persistent nature. 
• As TBT is toxic at very low concentrations, there are strict legislative limits (e.g. the European Water Framework Directive)

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

The Thermo Scientific™ ELEMENT XR™ HR-ICP-MS and the Thermo Scientific™ TRACE™ 1310 GC were coupled with the Thermo Scientific™ GCI 200 Interface.

CONCLUSIONS 

• Because of the high acceleration voltage of Sector Field ICP-MS this technique is extremely sensitive. 
• In combination with its low backgrounds, this leads to the low detection limits required for sensitive tin speciation analysis. 
• The stable temperature profile and the absence of cold spots avoids condensation and peak broadening. 
• Minimal tailing on high boiling compounds. 
• Minimal memory and carryover effects. 
• By means of the flexible and light design of the heated transfer line, the ICP-MS torch position can be easily tuned.