Speciation of cadmium in crab meat by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometric detection in a model gut digestive system

Abstract

The development of a model gut system has enabled the study of cadmium bioavailability to be carried out. The use of a biological membrane indicates that although soluble forms of cadmium may exist in the gut, only protein-complexed forms will pass through such a membrane. Chromatographic separation by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicates that although cadmium-metallothioneine type complexes are present at the pH values of both the stomach and the intestine, their solubility is significantly reduced in the intestine. Experimental details are given for both the gut model and the speciation methodology used.