Determination of trace amounts of heavy metals in agricultural by-products using anodic stripping voltammetry

Abstract

Differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to determine Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn at trace levels in 12 different animal feeds, including crop residues such as straws and lignocellulose by-products from food industries. Typical Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations in the ranges 0.02–0.30, 0.01–0.80, 0.60–100 and 3.00–50.0 mg kg^–1 of dry feed matter, respectively, were found from replicate measurements of the samples following dry ashing. The high sensitivity of the method and the ability to carry out simultaneous multi-element analyses make DPASV a useful technique for the routine determination of heavy metals in animal feedstuffs.