Total As and As speciation from worldwide collected red wine samples

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid found naturally in the environment.
• Wine consumption is widespread, necessitating an understanding of potential contaminants like arsenic.
• Previous studies have indicated the presence of arsenic in various food products, including wine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify total arsenic and determine arsenic speciation in a diverse collection of red wines.
• To assess whether red wine samples comply with established regulatory limits for arsenic.
• To identify the predominant arsenic species and investigate potential geographical variations in arsenic content.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 147 red wines from various global regions and vintages.
• Quantification of total arsenic using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
• Determination of arsenic species (speciation) using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with ICP-MS (HPLC-ICP-MS).

Main Results:

• Total arsenic concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 56 µg/L, with an average of 4.0 ± 5.9 µg/L.
• All analyzed wines were below the 200 µg/L limit set by the Office of Vine and Wine.
• Inorganic arsenic, primarily As(III), was the most abundant form. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) was detected in nearly half of the samples, while Monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) was found infrequently.
• Bordeaux wines showed a tendency for higher DMA concentrations compared to other wines.

Conclusions:

• Red wines analyzed pose no risk regarding arsenic levels, as all samples were below the regulatory threshold.
• Inorganic arsenic is the dominant species in red wine, with organic forms like DMA present in lower, variable amounts.
• Geographical origin, specifically Bordeaux, may influence the concentration of certain organic arsenic metabolites in wine.