Optimized pretreatment for accurate determination of elemental composition of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) using ICP-OES and ICP-MS: A comprehensive study

Precisely identifying trace elements within vegetable edible oils remains a significant analytical problem due to their low concentrations and the complex composition of the matrixes. The objective of this research was to develop an analytical approach for quantifying Al, Be, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sb, Se, V, Zn, and REEs using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and high resolution ICP mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS), according to their concentration, in 13 Italian extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs). To determine the most efficient sample preparation technique, different type of pretreatment were tested, and validated by testing a certified reference material (SRM NIST 1573a). The sample manipulation involved the following steps: i. agitation for 120 minutes; ii. sonication for 10 minutes; iii. mineralization with 4 mL of HNO 3 and 2 mL of H 2 O 2 for 240 minutes at room temperature. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to assess whether oils from different regions would separate based on their inorganic content. • Analytical approach to quantify trace elements (in Italian extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) using advanced techniques like ICP-OES and HR-ICP • A rigorous sample preparation process, including agitation, sonication, and mineralization, was optimized and validated using a certified reference material (SRM NIST 1573a) • Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to investigate whether EVOOs from different regions could be distinguished based on their inorganic composition