Multielemental speciation analysis of fungi porcini (Boletus edulis) mushroom by size exclusion liquid chromatography with sequential on-line UV-ICP-MS detection.

An analytical methodology to determine the molecular weight (MW) distribution patterns of several elements among different compounds present in commonly consumed edible mushrooms is presented in this work. A hyphenated technique based on size exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) coupled on-line to UV and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection was used. The association of the elements to high and low MW fractions was confirmed with sequential detection by UV and ICP-MS. Separation of the fractions was performed by injecting a 100 microL sample volume to a Superdex 75 column. The effect of different mobile phases on the separation was evaluated. Additionally, three different extraction conditions including 0.05 mol L(-1) NaOH, 0.05 mol L(-1) HCl, and hot water at 60 degrees C were applied to extract the elemental species from the mushroom samples. Significant differences were observed in the chromatograms depending on the extraction conditions utilized. Optimization of the experimental variables involved in the SEC-UV-ICP-MS coupling was carried out. The method was applied to investigate the fractionation patterns of Bi, Co, Cu, Fe, I, Mo, Ni, Se, and Zn in fungi porcini (Boletus edulis) mushroom. The results obtained in this work indicate an important association of most of the elements to high MW fractions.