Measurement of Heavy Metals (Cd, Pb) in Pet Food by AAS

Introduction

In 2007, an incident occurred in which pet food was found to contain melamine that had been mixed in with the pet food in the country where it was produced. However, this was discovered only after many pet cats and dogs died as a result of melamine poisoning. As a result of this incident, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established a study group to address this situation, and in 2008, the Act on Ensuring of Safety of Pet Animals Feed was enacted. Based on this law, an ordinance pertaining to standards of pet animal feed components was promulgated (Amendment, September 1, 2011, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, Ordinance No. 3), and has been in effect since March 1, 2012. Also cited in this ordinance are mycotoxins, organochlorine compounds, and three heavy metal elements, cadmium, lead and arsenic. The concentrations of heavy metals in pet foods for sale are required to meet the criteria, assuming a 10 % moisture content. Here, we introduce an example of analysis of Cd and Pb in pet food using the AA-7000 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

May 23, 2014 GMT