Determination of traces of molybdenum in foods by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Low levels of molybdenum in different food samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization after destruction of organic matter using four different methods, involving dry ashing at 600°C, wet digestion with heating with nitric/sulphuric and nitric/sulphuric/perchloric acid mixtures or direct extraction with dilute hydrochloric acid. In all cases the working conditions, reproducibility, precision and accuracy were investigated. The dry ashing method was generally the optimum destruction method.