Total reflection X-ray spectrometry (TXRF) for trace elements assessment in edible clams

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Edible clams are a significant source of nutrients and are consumed globally.
• Understanding their elemental composition is crucial for human health and environmental monitoring.
• Rapid and simple analytical methods are needed for routine clam analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the major, minor, trace, and ultratrace element content in commercially important clam species.
• To evaluate the suitability of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry for clam analysis.
• To compare direct analysis of clam suspensions with digested sample analysis using TXRF for trace element determination.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of clam samples using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry.
• Evaluation of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry for direct analysis of powdered clam suspensions and digested samples.
• Comparison of TXRF results with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace and ultratrace element quantification.

Main Results:

• TXRF spectrometry demonstrated effectiveness for determining minor and trace elements in edible clams.
• Direct analysis of powdered clam suspensions using TXRF provided comparable results to digested sample analysis for certain elements.
• ICP-MS analysis validated the capabilities of TXRF for trace and ultratrace element detection in clam matrices.

Conclusions:

• TXRF spectrometry is a viable, simple, and rapid technique for the elemental profiling of edible clams.
• Direct analysis methods using TXRF can potentially streamline the process for trace element determination in clams.
• This study provides a foundation for routine elemental analysis of clams for food safety and nutritional assessment.