Automated and Rapid Easy-to-Use Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction System for Five Heavy Metals in Cereals and Feeds

Abstract

A rapid, accurate, and ecofriendly pretreatment plays an extremely important role prior to ICP-MS for heavy metal analysis. In order to improve the pretreatment efficiency, a high-throughput and automatic magnetic solid-phase extraction of five heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Mn, Cu, and Zn) was carried out by a magnet-controlled pretreatment system with an ecofriendly diluted acid as an extracting agent and carboxyl-functionalized magnetic beads as a pretreatment material. Key conditions, including the pH, adsorption time, and eluent solution, were optimized. The time for purification and enrichment was only 8 min. The adsorption capacities of the carboxyl-functionalized magnetic beads were in the range of 152~426 mg g−1. The preconcentration factor of Cu was 40, and others were 200. In the optimal conditions, the limits of detection for Mn, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb by ICP-MS were 3.84, 2.71, 0.16, 11.54, and 6.01 ng L−1, respectively. The percentage recoveries were in the range of 80~110%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 3%. The developed method was in good agreement with traditional standard microwave digestion. Additionally, the designed system could simultaneously process up to 24 samples within 22 min, reducing the time to less than 1 min/sample. Thus, the proposed auto-MSPE-ICP-MS method was successfully applied to analyze five heavy metals in cereals and feeds with a simple operation and high precision, safety, and reliability.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

“…Magnetic solid-phase extraction is a useful tool for pre-concentration of samples, particularly those with expected low levels on analytes. Tian and team 237 optimised an automatic extraction of Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in cereals and feeds using carboxyl-functionalized magnetic beads. Key conditions were pH, eluent composition and absorption time.…”

Magnetic materials as adsorbents for the pre‐concentration and separation of active ingredients from herbal medicine

“…Automated MSPE systems serve as potent tools for the efficient extraction and purification of analytes from samples. These systems employ magnetic nanomaterials as solidphase adsorbents and automated extraction protocols to expedite sample processing and enhance extraction reproducibility [238][239][240]. The automated capabilities of MSPE can be classified into two distinct modes: on-line and offline.…”

“…The on-line mode directly integrates with separation and detection instruments, allowing for real-time analysis and rendering it suitable for high-throughput sample processing [238,239]. On the other hand, the off-line mode enables flexibility in terms of sample loading and elution conditions by segregating the extraction and analysis steps, typically employed for small-scale or offline analysis [240]. Automated MSPE confers several advantages over traditional MSPE methods, including heightened precision, decreased detection limits, and reduced operator errors.…”

Research Progress of Nucleic Acid Detection Technology for Genetically Modified Maize

“…The current demand by molecular biologists is for convenient, rapid, and inexpensive DNA extraction and detection methods and more compact, portable equipment options to enhance real-time capabilities. The merging of extraction and microflow body technologies [76] to automate nucleic acid detection [77,78] is also in high demand.…”