EVISA Newsletter

One of the species in the focus of regulation is hexavalent chromium. Since hexavalent chromium is carcinogen, its presence in food or the environment cannot be tolerated. Therefore alarming reports about Cr(VI) found in foodstuffs such as milk, mushrooms or bread make their way into the news. Since on the other site, hexavalent chromium is a strong oxidizing agent, it is questionable whether such species can be present within organic matter that can easily reduce hexavalent chromium. We at EVISA already some years before questioned such reports and speculated that such findings result from inadequate speciation analysis. Now a group of French researchers developed a sensitive method for chromium speciation with optimized extraction of hexavalent chromium from different foodstuffs. With a quantification limit below 1 µg/kg there were not able to detect any Cr(VI) in cereals or dairy products (see the news below).

Arsenic is one of the elements most often studied for its speciation. More than 100 different compounds have been identified in nature and researchers add to this number every year. Another element of the same group in the periodic table, namely antimony is much less studied. A group of researchers from Switzerland now measured for the first time the uptake and translocation of trimethylantimony in a plant using a new method for extraction and speciation analysis. The authors are convinced that their method opens the door for further studies of the soil-plant system with respect to antimony species (see the news below).

We frequently report about methylmercury, since humans are exposed to this strong neurotoxin via consumption of seafood, with increasing levels because of anthropogenic emission of mercury via coal combustion. Now a study funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has investigated how methylmercury exposure in the womb may affect cognitive function in adults. The results indicate that prenatal mercury exposure cancels out cognitive benefits of exercise (see the news below).

Such topic related to trace metal speciation have been discussed during the conference "TraceSpec 2016" that took place in Gdansk (Poland) two weeks ago (Sept. 4-7, 2016). Researchers from all over the world came together to discuss the Progress in Trace Metal Speciation for Environmental Analytical Chemistry. The next issue will be organized by Montserrat Filella in Geneva (Switzerland) in 2018 and EVISA Director Michael Sperling will act as the co-chair. We will inform you about this unique conference devoted to speciation analysis.