Elemental Analysis of Herbal Food Supplements using ICP-MS for Toxicant and Nutritional Profiling

Botanical dietary supplements (like wheat, barley, teff, oats, white lupin, pumpkin seed, and chickpeas) may contain trace amounts of toxicants in addition to important micronutrients. Developing and validating a reliable protocol for the simultaneous quantification of Cu, Fe, Zn, Mo, Se, Mn, Pb, Al, Ni, and Cr using a PerkinElmer (NexION ^TM 2000 model) quadrupole ICP MS (including a He collision and reaction cell when needed) with closed vessel microwave digestion using (HNO ₃ + H ₂ O ₂ ) was the aim of this study.The method was subsequently utilized in a sample survey, and the outcomes were evaluated against WHO/JECFA standards. From five study regions, twenty-seven farm-collected botanical powder samples representing seven species were acquired. To create one composite per species, field subsamples were cleaned, air dried, ground, and blended (nine subsamples per botanical: three grabs from each of three farms). HNO ₃ /H ₂ O ₂ was used to digest aliquots (0.250–0.500gm) in closed microwave containers. Internal standards, multi-point external calibration, procedural blanks, verified reference materials, matrix spikes, and duplicates were all used in ICP MS’s multi-element quantitation. Method LODs/LOQs, accuracy (CRM recoveries), and precision (RSD) were calculated.The technique produced low LODs that were suitable for dietary evaluation (typical LOD ranges: Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr (0.001–0.01) mg/kg; Mo, Se, Pb, Al (0.002–0.05) mg/kg. For the majority of analytes, within-run RSDs were less than 5%, while CRM recoveries ranged from 88.9 to 110%. The concentrations of essential elements varied greatly (average mg/kg: Fe (280.7±25.6); Zn (6.0±0.541); Cu (2.8±0.269); Mn (398.3±23.8); µgm/kg: Se (0.061±0.006); Mo (1.0 ±0.022). Although some composites approached or exceeded conservative intake thresholds for Pb and Al under high consumption scenarios, toxic elements were generally low (mean mg/kg: Pb (0.062±0.007); Al(185.2±18.5); Ni(1.6±0.163); Cr(1.8±0.171).For the simultaneous nutritional and contaminant profiling of supplements derived from cereals and those not, the validated ICP- MS workflow with microwave HNO ₃ and H ₂ O ₂ digestion is suitable. Accurate labeling and consumer safety can be supported by routine screening and supply chain controls.