title: Determination of bromine in regulated foods with a field-portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer.
abstract: A field-portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, factory-calibrated for soil analysis, was used to measure bromine (Br) mass fractions in reference materials, flour, bakery products, malted barley, selected U.S. Food and Drug Administration Total Diet Study foods, and other food products. By using a calibration based on instrumental neutron activation analysis results for Br in reference materials, accurate quantitative results, confirmed by z-scores, could be obtained for mass fractions of about 2-55 mg/kg. These results confirmed accuracy of results (with larger uncertainties) obtained by applying a simple correction factor to the analyzer's output value. Results showed that very short analysis times (<2 min) would be needed to screen foods for Br content at regulatory levels for brominated and enriched brominated flour (24 mg/kg Br) and whole wheat flour and bakery products (36 mg/kg Br). Feasibility for determination of Br in malted barley at the regulatory level (75 mg/kg Br) was demonstrated, but quantitative results at that level could not be assured because no reference material with a suitable mass fraction was available. Br mass fractions for all foods tested were well below regulatory levels.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Chemical Contaminants Branch, HFS-716, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy, College Park, MD 20740-3835, USA. david.anderson@fda.hhs.gov
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D001939:Bread / Q000032:analysis; D001966:Bromine / Q000032:analysis*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D005433:Flour / Q000032:analysis; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D001966:Bromine