Arsenic content of Spanish cows' milk determined by dry ashing hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

The arsenic content of cows' milk consumed in Spain was determined. A procedure using dry ashing hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry was developed for the purpose. Experimental conditions for the destruction of organic matter were established and an interference study was carried out. The method developed has a detection limit of 0.1 ng/g, a relative SD of 5%, and a recovery (mean +/- CSI) of 100 +/- 4%. The accuracy of the method was checked by analysis of a certified sample of IAEA milk powder (mean +/- CSI: certified, 4.85 +/- 0.32 ng/g; found, 5.04 +/- 0.81 ng/g). The proposed procedure was used to analyse cows' milk samples. The extremely low arsenic levels found do not present toxicological problems.