Levels of various elements of concern in feed phosphates of domestic and foreign origin

Thirty-six feed phosphates, including nine mono-dicalcium phosphates (M-DCP, 21% P), 13 di-monocalcium phosphates (D-MCP, 18.5% P), and 14 thermochemically produced defluorinated phosphates (DFP, 18.0% P), were analyzed for moisture, Ca, P, and 9 essential minerals (K, Mg, Na, Cl, Fe, Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn). Also, nine potentially toxic elements (Al, F, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Ni, and V) were determined. All of the M-DCP were of domestic origin; 5 of the 13 D-MCP samples were obtained in Algeria, Peru, Holland, and South Africa. The DFP samples included 10 domestic products, 2 samples from Russia, 1 from Poland, and 1 from Japan. Levels of Na were high in the DFP samples (3.96 to 5.78%), except for the two Russian samples, which contained only .16 and .19%. Magnesium levels varied from .09 to .76%, .02 to 1.21%, and .01 to 1.54% in the M-DCP, D-MCP, and DFP samples, respectively. Two Russian DFP samples contained 1.51 and 1.54% Mg. Chlorine levels were generally quite low (.002 to .020%); however, two precipitated D-MCP samples contained .12 and 1.47% Cl. Iron levels were high (.24 to 1.41%) in all samples except the bone-precipitated D-MCP (.039%), and the reference standard, calcium phosphate, dibasic dihydrate, USP (.029%). Levels of Cu, Mn, and Zn were quite variable. Cadmium varied from < 1 ppm in the DFP samples to 67 ppm in one experimental M-DCP. Vanadium levels varied from 20 to 796 ppm in one experimental M-DCP sample. Fluorine levels were in the acceptable range, .05 to .21%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)