Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) and atomic absorption spectrophotommetry (AAS) for the analysis of lead and tin in canned corned beef and sardines

• Main Authors: King, Merch L., Torres, Kristoffer C., Young, Randy Y.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Corned beef > Contamination; Sardines > Contamination; Canned foods > Contamination; Chemical Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/7148
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study focuses on the determination of heavy meals, specifically lead and tin, in locally manufactured canned sardines and corned beef. The primary method used for the analysis was Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV), taking advantages of the high detection limits offered by the method. In addition, a more improved detection limits was attained in the study by utilizing a Mercury Thin Film Electrode (MTFE). Glassy carbon was used as the working electrode, with silver/silver-chloride and platinum wire as the reference and auxiliary electrodes respectively. The manner by which the experiment was done was correlated with respect to a specific sampling period of three months from date of purchase. Each of the five representative brands for sardines and corned beef was opened and evaluated in an interval of one month. During the first month, the results obtained using DPASV were compared and verified with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The 2nd and 3rd months were done with DPASV. In addition, during the last month of testing, deformed samples with the same age as the undeformed were taken into account which where then evaluated and compared with the undeformed. The results obtained for the comparison of Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV) and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) showed closeness in the values for both lead and tin. This observation was further strengthened after calculating the product-moment correlation coefficient which resulted to a value of 0.99011 for lead and tin respectively. Subsequently, during the monitoring of samples as correlated to sampling period, there were no concrete correlations that can be established with respect to the increase or decrease of lead and tin in the samples. However, the results showed that although there was an increase in the lead and tin content of some samples, mostly sardines, it was insignificant. Finally, after evaluating the amount of lead and tin in the deformed samples, it was observed that there was a significant increase in both lead and tin content for the deformed samples compared to the undeformed. The average amount of tin increase resulted to as high as 20 ppm, although the tin content for all samples were still within standard limits. In contrast, the lead content for some of the samples, three for corned beef and one for sardines exceeded the allowable standard limit set in the country with an average increase of 0.20 ppm in lead content. In fact, the increase in the lead content of a deformed can of sardines was twice that in an undeformed can and in corned beef, five times higher.