The role of analytical techniques in the determination of metals and metalloids in dietary supplements: A review

Abstract

This review is focused to cover the application of different analytical techniques for the determination of metals and metalloids in different categories of dietary supplements. Atomic spectrometric methods based on flame atomic absorption spectrometry, electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, X–ray fluorescence spectrometry and plasma–based techniques such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry are reviewed because a considerable amount of research is presently performed in this field. Even when much less reported in the literature, the application of neutron activation analysis, isotope dilution mass spectrometry and hyphenated methodologies for speciation studies based on the use of separative techniques in combination with specific detectors are also discussed. This survey contains 46 references and covers mainly the literature published over the last fifteen years.