BS EN 16802-2016 PDF

Full title and description

BS EN 16802:2016 — Foodstuffs. Determination of elements and their chemical species. Determination of inorganic arsenic in foodstuffs of marine and plant origin by anion‑exchange HPLC‑ICP‑MS. This British adoption of EN 16802:2016 specifies a validated laboratory procedure for determining the mass fraction of inorganic arsenic (sum of As(III) and As(V)) in selected food matrices.

Abstract

The standard describes a method based on water‑bath extraction of a representative test portion (diluted nitric acid + hydrogen peroxide), followed by anion‑exchange high‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled online to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS) for selective determination of inorganic arsenic (As(III)+As(V)). The method was validated in an interlaboratory trial on matrices including white and wholegrain rice, leek, blue mussels, fish muscle and seaweed over a concentration range of about 0.073 mg/kg to 10.3 mg/kg.

General information

• Status: Current / Active (EN published and adopted as BS EN).
• Publication date: April 2016 (published 30 April 2016 as BS EN 16802:2016).
• Publisher: British Standards Institution (BSI) — adoption of the European Standard prepared by CEN/TC 275 "Food analysis - Horizontal methods".
• ICS / categories: 67.050 (General methods of tests and analysis for food products); 67.060 (Cereals, pulses and derived products); 67.120.30 (Fish and fishery products).
• Edition / version: EN 16802:2016 (BS EN 16802:2016).
• Number of pages: 16–18 pages depending on national edition (commonly listed as 18 pages in the BS/EN publication).

Scope

Specifies a laboratory procedure for the determination of inorganic arsenic (the sum of As(III) and As(V)) in foodstuffs of marine and plant origin by anion‑exchange HPLC coupled to ICP‑MS following a heated water‑bath extraction. The method is intended for routine and regulatory testing where selective measurement of inorganic arsenic species is required and has documented performance/precision data from an interlaboratory validation on representative matrices (rice, leek, mussels, fish muscle and seaweed).

Key topics and requirements

• Sample preparation: representative test portion, extraction with diluted nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide in a heated water bath.
• Speciation separation: anion‑exchange HPLC to separate inorganic arsenic species from organic arsenic compounds.
• Detection and quantification: online coupling of HPLC to ICP‑MS; external calibration with matrix‑matched or solvent matrix‑matched standards.
• Analytes defined: inorganic arsenic = As(III) + As(V); method description includes oxidation of As(III) to As(V) during extraction to determine the sum.
• Validation and performance: precision data and interlaboratory validation results are given (matrices and concentration range documented in annexes); annex with chromatographic conditions is provided.

Typical use and users

Used by accredited food testing laboratories, regulatory and official controls authorities, research laboratories and quality control departments in the food industry (particularly those testing cereals/rice products, seaweeds, seafood and other plant‑derived foods). It supports compliance testing where regulators or purchasers require speciated inorganic arsenic data rather than total arsenic. Laboratories use it to provide data for risk assessment, compliance with limits and internal quality control.

Related standards

Standards and documents commonly referenced alongside EN 16802 include broader trace element methods and total‑element procedures (for example EN 15763 for determination of As, Cd, Hg and Pb by ICP‑MS after pressure digestion) and relevant CEN methods under CEN/TC 275. National adoptions (BS EN, DIN EN, etc.) and regulatory documents on maximum levels for inorganic arsenic (EU regulations and implementing acts) are often used together with EN 16802 in a compliance context.

Keywords

inorganic arsenic, arsenite, arsenate, HPLC‑ICP‑MS, anion exchange, foodstuffs, speciation, extraction, rice, mussels, seaweed, seafood, method validation, CEN/TC 275.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: A European (EN) method adopted as BS EN 16802:2016 that specifies a laboratory procedure to determine inorganic arsenic (As(III)+As(V)) in marine and plant foodstuffs using anion‑exchange HPLC coupled to ICP‑MS.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample extraction (heated water‑bath with diluted HNO3 and H2O2), chromatographic separation by anion exchange, ICP‑MS detection, calibration and calculation, and includes precision/validation data and informative annexes with chromatographic conditions.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Accredited food‑analysis laboratories, national food control authorities, research and industry QC labs requiring speciated inorganic arsenic results for regulatory compliance, risk assessment and product safety monitoring.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As published in 2016 the EN 16802:2016 method is an active European Standard and has been adopted as BS EN 16802:2016; users should check national standards bodies or CEN updates for any revisions or future work items.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It belongs to the CEN/TC 275 suite of horizontal food‑analysis methods (standards for elements and species). Laboratories commonly use it alongside other EN methods for total element determination and other speciated analyses as appropriate.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: inorganic arsenic, arsenite, arsenate, HPLC, ICP‑MS, anion‑exchange, speciation, foodstuffs, rice, seafood, seaweed, method validation.