Matrix removal for the ion chromatographic determination of some trace elements in milk

An ion chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of some microelements in different types of milk. It involves oxidative photodegradation of the organic matrix with H₂O₂ in a UV digester, equipped with a high-pressure mercury lamp. The temperature of the sample is maintained at 85±5 °C by a combined air/water cooling system. This procedure provides an efficient alternative to traditional dry ashing and wet digestion methods. Milk degrades in less than 2 h, while inorganic constituents, except for iodide, nitrate, nitrite, sulfite and manganese (II), are unaffected by UV radiation. Depending upon the type of milk (whole, skimmed, powdered, evaporated, etc.) to be analysed, the amount of sample and the UV photolysis time can be adjusted as per requirements. The clear solution resulting from the UV digestion is diluted, filtered and injected onto an ion chromatograph equipped with both conductivity and variable-wavelength UV-Vis detectors. The method has been tested with standards and real milk samples and has been found to be satisfactory for the determination of total chloride, bromide, phosphorus (as phosphate) and sulfur (as sulfate), and of copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt, iron and lead.