Characterization of trace amounts of aluminium in biological reference materials by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The homogeneity of aluminium at the ppm level in a set of reference materials provided by Agriculture Canada was determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The materials included bran, wheat flour, gluten, whole egg powder, whole milk powder, meat powder, starch, cellulose, corn kernel and corn stalk. Reproducible values were obtained, which indicated that all of the materials studied can be considered to have a homogeneous distribution of aluminium between samples at test portion sizes of 250 mg. All of the materials, except milk, egg and meat, required HF in addition to HNO₃ to effect complete dissolution, indicating the presence of mineral matter.