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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
06:53
Preparation of Food Samples Using Homogenization and Microwave-Assisted Wet Acid Digestion for Multi-Element Determination with ICP-MS
Published on: December 22, 2023
[Analysis of trace elements in corncob by microwave digestion-ICP-AES]
Yong Sun1, Jin-Ping Zhang, Gang Yang
1National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China. ysun@home.ipe.ac.cn
Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi = Guang Pu
|October 20, 2007
Summary
This study optimized microwave digestion for analyzing trace elements like zinc and selenium in corncobs. The method is fast, accurate, and suitable for simultaneous multi-element determination.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Context:
- Trace element analysis in agricultural products is crucial for food safety and environmental monitoring.
- Corncob is a widely available agricultural byproduct with potential for accumulating various elements.
Purpose:
- To develop and optimize a microwave digestion method for the simultaneous determination of multiple trace elements in corncob samples.
- To validate the accuracy and efficiency of the optimized method using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES).
Summary:
- A rapid and efficient microwave digestion procedure was established using nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid for analyzing trace elements (Zn, Mg, Mn, Sr, Fe, Pb, Cu, Se) in corncob samples from diverse Chinese regions.
- The method demonstrated excellent performance with low relative standard deviations (0.19%-5.00%) and high recovery yields (95.1%-104.6%).
Impact:
- The optimized microwave digestion method is accurate, sensitive, and rapid, making it suitable for routine analysis of trace elements in corncobs.
- This validated method can be applied for simultaneous multi-element determination, supporting agricultural and environmental research.
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