Determination of Aluminum, Chromium, and Barium Concentrations in Infant Formula Marketed in Lebanon

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 1738-1744 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOMANA ELARIDI ◽  
HANI DIMASSI ◽  
MARIA ESTEPHAN ◽  
HUSSEIN F. HASSAN

ABSTRACT Infant formula is a major nutritional component for many infants and toddlers. However, the presence of contaminants, such as toxic metals, may pose increased health risks to infants. An investigation of the total concentrations of the metals aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), and chromium (Cr) in infant formulae marketed in Lebanon was performed. Powdered dairy and nondairy infant formula samples were collected from all commercially available brands (n = 39) in the Lebanese market on two production dates (78 samples in total) and analyzed for these three metals with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. All brands contained detectable concentrations of Al and Ba, Cr was detected in 95% of brands. Mean (±standard deviation) concentrations of the metals were estimated as 1.54 ± 1.43 (Al), 0.256 ± 0.593 (Ba), and 0.168 ± 0.143 (Cr) (μg/g). The concentration ranges in the powdered formula were 0.080 to 7.93 (Al), 0.038 to 5.35 (Ba), and 0.041 to 0.348 (Cr) μg/g. A significant difference in the mean concentrations of Al, Ba, and Cr for the two production dates of a single brand was observed in 92, 59, and 83% of samples, respectively. The mean concentration of Al in the soy-based formula was significantly higher than that of aluminum in milk-based and corn-based formulas (P = 0.018). Cr concentrations in the continuation special formulations were significantly higher than those in the beginner formulations (P = 0.008). Our study provides the first publicly available information on metal contamination in infant formulas in Lebanon and reveals the need for frequent monitoring and surveillance of these products intended for infant consumption. HIGHLIGHTS

Homeopathy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 107 (04) ◽  
pp. 244-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine Goyens ◽  
Etienne Capieaux ◽  
Philippe Devos ◽  
Pierre Dorfman ◽  
Michel Van Wassenhoven

Background Homeopathy is controversial due to its use of very highly diluted medicines (high potencies/dynamisations). Methods We used a multi-technology approach to examine dilutions of two commonly used homeopathic medicines: an insoluble metal, Cuprum metallicum, and a soluble plant tincture, Gelsemium sempervirens, for the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) of original substance. The homeopathic medicines tested were specially prepared, according to the European pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dilutions/dynamisations with simple dilutions and controls. Results Using Mass Spectrometry (Single Particle-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) we could not find the expected copper in the 4cH potentisation and could not confirm the results previously obtained by Chikramane et al (2010). For Gelsemium medicines, using sensitive chromatography (HPLC-UV) up to a dilution level of 6 dH (3cH = dilution 10e-6), there was no significant difference in alkaloid content between a simple dilution and a homeopathic potency.For higher potentisations, however, NP tracking analysis findings revealed the presence of particles in all samples (except for pure water). The measurements showed large differences in particle quantities, mean particle sizes and standard deviations of the mean sizes between manufacturing lines of different starting material.There was always more material in potentised medicines than in potentised pure water. Gelsemium yielded the largest quantity of material (36 times more than that from copper at the same potentisation, 30 cH). The shapes and the chemical composition of the material are differentiable between different medicines and controls. Conclusion Potentisation influences specifically the nature of NPs detected. This material demonstrates that the step-by-step process (dynamised or not) does not match with the theoretical expectations in a dilution process. The Avogadro/Loschmidt limit is not relevant at all. It was not possible to reproduce the findings of Chikramane et al (2010) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with copper. Copper NPs could not be detected at 4cH and above.


Arthritis ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim A. Malek ◽  
Joanne Rogers ◽  
Amanda Christina King ◽  
Juliet Clutton ◽  
Daniel Winson ◽  
...  

One hundred and twenty six paired samples of plasma and whole blood were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique for metal ions analysis to determine a relationship between them. There was a significant difference between the mean plasma and whole blood concentrations of both cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) (p<0.0001 for both Co and Cr). The mean ratio between plasma and whole blood Cr and Co was 1.56 (range: 0.39–3.85) and 1.54 (range: 0.64–18.26), respectively, but Bland and Altman analysis illustrated that this relationship was not universal throughout the range of concentrations. There was higher variability at high concentrations for both ions. We conclude that both these concentrations should not be used interchangeably and conversion factors are unreliable due to concentration dependent variability.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Victoria Walker ◽  
Yuan Yuan ◽  
Safwat Girgis ◽  
Karen J. Goodman

Abstract Background: Methylmercury contamination of the environment represents a substantial environmental health concern. Human exposure to methylmercury occurs primarily through consumption of fish and marine mammals. Heavily exposed subgroups include sport or subsistence fishers residing in Arctic communities. We aimed to estimate the association of fish/whale consumption patterns of Canadian Arctic subsistence fishers with the internal dose of methylmercury as measured in hair. Methods: This research was conducted within ongoing community projects led by the CAN Help Working Group in Aklavik and Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories and Old Crow, Yukon. We interviewed each participant using a fish-focused food-frequency questionnaire during September-November 2016 and collected hair samples concurrently. Methylmercury was measured in the full-length of each hair sample using gas chromatography inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression estimated beta-coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the effect of fish/whale consumption on hair-methylmercury concentrations. Results: Among 101 participants who provided hair samples and diet data, the mean number of fish/whale species eaten was 3.5 (SD:1.9). The mean hair-methylmercury concentration was 0.60μg/g (SD:0.47). Fish/whale consumption was positively associated with hair-methylmercury concentration, after adjusting for sex, hair length and use of permanent hair treatments. Hair-methylmercury concentrations among participants who consumed the most fish/whale in each season ranged from 0.30- 0.50μg/g higher than those who consumed <1 meal/week. Conclusions: In this population of Canadian Arctic subsistence fishers, hair-methylmercury concentration increased with fish/whale consumption, but the maximum concentrations were below Health Canada’s 6.0μg/g threshold for safe exposure.


2013 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 798-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence H Pacquette ◽  
Alan M Levenson ◽  
Joseph J Thompson ◽  
Dawn Dowell

Abstract After an assessment of data generated from a single-laboratory validation study published in the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 95, 169–176 (2012), a method for determining the total level of iodine in infant formula and nutritional products was presented for consideration for adoption by AOAC during the AOAC Annual Meeting held September 30–October 3, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV. An Expert Review Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals concluded that the method met the established standard method performance requirements, and approved the method as AOAC Official First Action. The method involves digestion of the sample with nitric acid in a closed vessel microwave oven, followed by determination by inductively coupled plasma/MS using tellurium as the internal standard. The method LOQ for total iodine was 1.5 μg/100 g, but a practical LOQ was used at 5 μg/100 g total iodine. The analytical range of the method was 5–100 μg/100 g total iodine. The recoveries from 15 spiked nutritional products ranged from 90 to 105%.


2013 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 786-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darryl Sullivan ◽  
Richard Zywicki ◽  
Mark Yancey

Abstract An optimized method for use in a high volume laboratory was developed and validated for the determination of total selenium in a wide variety of food products including infant formula. The method utilizes a single-stage, closed-vessel microwave digestion procedure with nitric acid. Upon completion of digestion, the solution is brought to volume with water. A dilution is prepared for analysis by adding methanol (MeOH) to an aliquot and then brought to volume by nitric acid diluent resulting in a 3% MeOH concentration. The amount of selenium is determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)/MS with the capability of removing argon-based polyatomic interferences. Experiments were conducted to validate the method by determining precision, accuracy, linearity, specificity, ruggedness, and robustness. The calculated practical reporting level for this method was 25.0 μg/kg. The method provided an average RSD of 2.03% during analysis of a wheat flour reference material and 2.73% during analysis of a powdered infant formula. The accuracy of the method for these materials was 98.6 and 105%, respectively. The method has also been used successfully on a variety of foods from various categories including fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy.


2012 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence H Pacquette ◽  
Andre Szabo ◽  
Joseph J Thompson ◽  
Steve Baugh

Abstract An inductively coupled plasma/MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of Cr, Se, and Mo in infant formula and other nutritional products. All samples were digested using a closed vessel microwave oven system, together with Ni and Te internal standards. The practical quantitation limits for Cr, Se, and Mo were 0.4, 0.2, and 0.4 ng/mL, respectively; dilution factors were 250 for powders and 50 for liquids. The Cr, Se, and Mo concentrations in 10 nutritional products were within specification limits; within-day and day-to-day (6 independent days) precision values were &lt;5% RSD. For two control samples, the observed precision was ≤2% RSD over 10 independent days. Cr, Se, and Mo results were within the certified limits in three National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference materials. The average sample spike recoveries for 10 nutritional products ranged from 93 to 107%. Robustness studies showed a minimal effect from concomitant easily ionized element concentrations. However, the choice of internal standard and matrix-matching carbon content were critical to obtaining accurate Se results. All indications are that this method would be a suitable candidate as a global reference method for the determination of these trace elements in infant formula, adult nutritionals, and other nutritional products.


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