Feasibility of using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for quantitative measurement of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium in meat

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the potential of a commercial laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system for quantitative determination of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium in bovine and chicken meat. Bovine and chicken meat are important sources of nutrients in the human diet, and Brazil is one of the major producers and exporters in the world. Measurements were performed using a commercial LIBS system designed with a Q-switched laser (Nd: YAG, 10 Hz, lambda = 266 nm) and a 6 channel-CCD spectrometer. Calibration standards were produced from a selected beef and chicken sample either diluted with high-purity cellulose or spiked with increasing amounts of standard solutions of analytes. After acid decomposition, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP OES) was used to obtain the mass fraction of each analyte in calibration standards. The accuracy of the method was checked by analysis of certified reference materials and comparison of LIBS results with ICP OES data. By applying a t-test at the 95% confidence level, LIBS results and ICP OES data presented no significant differences. The metrological figures of merit indicate the potential of a commercial LIBS system for the intended purposes and can be recommended for the analysis of beef and chicken meat aiming at the determination of Ca, Mg, K and Na. (AU)