Validation of methodology for determining As, Pb and Cd in fish by using ICP-MS: Preliminary studies

Abstract

The progress of industry has led to the increased emission of pollutants into ecosystems, and fish consumption has been a remarkable source of human exposure to toxic metals. Arsenic, cadmium and lead constitute a potentially significant threat to human health because they are associated with several adverse health effects. Therefore, fish biomonitoring has been a crucial tool for assessing the environmental exposure to contaminants. This study aimed at determining arsenic, cadmium and lead contents in fish samples from a Proficiency Testing for Metals conducted by the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN), in order to develop a routine analytical methodology using ICP-MS. The methodology was evaluated by using the certified reference oyster tissue material, which indicated good agreement between the certified and the determined concentrations for As, Cd and Pb. The report on the Proficiency Test performance evaluation, based on the z-score index, evidenced satisfactory results in both samples of the analyzed elements.