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Table 2 Contaminant concentrations in typical mineral imported supplements employed in feedingstuff manufacture

From: Inorganic contaminants and composition analysis of commercial feed grade mineral compounds available in Costa Rica

Assaya

Mean

SD

Median

Max

Min

Guideline value or guaranteed analysis

Calcium and phosphorus-containing mineral sources

Dicalcium phosphate, n = 22

bArsenic, mg/kg[2; 9.1 %] (4; 18.2 %)

2.88

7.14

0.30

26.68

9.8 × 10−3

<10

bMercury, μg/kg[8; 36.4 %]

96.18

80.69

71.00

392.50

6.89

<100

Lead, mg/kg

1.89

1.50

1.51

6.23

4.8 × 10−2

<15

Cadmium, mg/kg

1.94

2.46

0.29

6.73

1.8 × 10−3

<10

bFluorine (×10−2), g/100 g[1; 4.5 %]

8.9

4.6

8.2

26.0

2.1

12.0 – 21.0 (<20.0)

Monocalcium phosphate, n = 22

Arsenic, mg/kg(4; 18.2 %)

3.9 × 10−1

5.8 × 10−1

1.1 × 10−1

2

4,9 × 10−2

<10

bMercury, μg/kg[12; 54.5 %]

118.85

72.04

110.73

364.00

21.10

<100

bLead, mg/kg(2; 9.1 %) [2; 9.1 %]

38.16

153.47

0.48

706.00

5.4 × 10−2

<15

Cadmium, μg/kg

2.76

1.82

2.19

6.96

1.6 × 10−3

<10

Fluorine (×10−2), g/100 g

7.6

4.4

9.8

14.0

1.0

<0.21 (<0.20)

Calcium carbonate, n = 21

Arsenic, μg/kg(7; 33.3 %)

383.4

199.4

362.7

818.5

50.9

<1.5 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg(5; 23.8 %)

73.0

45.6

72.0

185.8

5.6

<300

bLead, mg/kg(2; 9.5 %) [1; 4.8 %]

14.4

60.5

0.2

270.9

1.4x10−2

<20

Cadmium, μg/kg

647.7

559.3

382.9

1.7x103

1.3

<1.0 × 104

Iodine-containing mineral sources

Calcium iodate, n = 7

Arsenic, μg/kg(1; 14.3 %)

244.9

143.15

196.0

451.4

83.0

<1.5 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg(1; 14.3 %) [1;14.3 %]

164.8

103.75

116.4

334.0

64.99

<300

bLead, mg/kg(1; 14.3 %) [1;14.3 %]

12.3

23.5

0.5

64.4

3.5 × 10−2

<20

Cadmium, μg/kg(2; 28.6 %)

47.4

34.0

41.9

110.5

10.3

<2.0 × 103

Microgran™ I 10 % BMP (calcium iodide), n = 10

Arsenic, mg/kg(3; 30.0 %)

0.69

1.32

0.18

3.92

3.0 × 10−2

<30

Mercury, μg/kg(1; 10.0 %)

98.5

40.6

115.8

143.68

17.5

<200

Lead, μg/kg(3; 30.0 %)

183.7

98.9

163.0

363.0

55

<1.0 × 105

Cadmium, μg/kg

146.1

18.9

149.3

168.4

112.9

<1.0 × 104

Etilendiamine diiodide, n = 7

Arsenic, μg/kg(2; 28.7 %)

65.0

42.3

64.1

118

13.98

<3.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg(1; 14.3 %)

104.3

31.0

116.1

131.3

45.7

<200

Lead, μg/kg(1; 14.3 %)

170.9

73.1

148.0

301.0

78.0

<1.0 × 105

Cadmium, μg/kg(2; 28.7 %)

319.8

502.5

35.7

1190

17.5

<1.0 × 104

Potassium Iodide, n = 7

Arsenic, μg/kg(2; 28.6 %)

237.9

171.0

156.5

509.6

57.0

<3.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg

117.7

71.9

102.2

245.7

10.3

<200

bLead, mg/kg(2; 28.6 %), [1;14.3 %]

42.3

83.7

0.25

209.6

5.7 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(1; 14.3 %)

150.8

163.8

35.0

382.4

34.9

<1.0 × 104

Cobalt-containing mineral sources

Cobalt carbonate, n = 13

Arsenic, mg/kg(5; 38.5 %)

7.4 × 10−1

1.6

9.5 × 10−2

5.10

1.3 × 10−2

<30

bMercury, μg/kg[1; 7.7 %]

97.3

69.5

97.5

302.0

23.9

<200

Lead, μg/kg(3; 23.1 %)

664.5

582.8

414.0

1920.0

2.3

<1.0 × 105

Assaya

Mean

SD

Median

Max

Min

Guideline value or guaranteed analysis

Cadmium, μg/kg(6; 46.1 %)

34.0

19.6

38.0

55.7

8.3

<5.0 × 103

Cobalt sulfate, n = 11

Arsenic, μg/kg(3; 27.3 %)

65.2

61.4

32.8

151.2

18.0

<3.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg

81.7

29.6

80.0

133.7

28.2

<200

Lead, mg/kg(2; 18.2 %)

17.6

37.3

1.26

101.0

7.0 × 10−3

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg

835.3

880.8

192.3

2.2 × 103

66.1

<5.0 × 103

Microgran™ Co 5 % BMP (cobalt carbonate), n = 13

Arsenic, mg/kg(8; 61.5 %)

1.07

1.65

0.36

4.72

3.42 × 10−2

30

bMercury, μg/kg(1; 7.7 %), [2; 15.4 %]

95.0

58.0

83.1

220.7

37.0

<200

Lead, mg/kg(4; 30.8 %)

16.2

48.2

1.4 × 10−1

160.7

1.8 × 10−3

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg

84.3

78.2

34.1

239.2

0.95

<5.0 × 103

Copper-containing mineral sources

Copper oxide, n = 19

Arsenic, mg/kg(1; 5.3 %)

2.38

2.19

2.25

8.38

1.29 × 10−1

100

bMercury, μg/kg(1; 5.3 %), [3; 15.8 %]

128.4

88.8

99.1

384.5

48.3

<200

bLead, mg/kg[12; 63.1 %]

96.0

113.2

60.9

455.0

3.80 × 10−1

<30

bCadmium, mg/kg(1), [3; 15.8 %]

3.09

2.31

1.85

7.41

1.09 × 10−1

<5

Copper sulfate, n = 18

Arsenic, μg/kg(1; 5.5 %)

500.6

537.4

366.3

2.29 × 103

18.4

5.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg

69.4

35.1

69.4

118.3

9.04

<200

Lead, mg/kg(2; 11.1 %)

9.9

10.2

8.8

39.8

4.4 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(4; 22.2 %)

544.0

1.2 × 103

150.8

4.1 × 103

4.41

<5.0 × 103

Sodium containing mineral sources

Sodium chloride, n = 23

Arsenic, mg/kg(16; 69.6 %)

101.1

61.1

97.5

231.0

15.7

30

Mercury, μg/kg(4; 17.4 %)

80.6

43.4

85.0

157.0

1.2

<200

bLead, mg/kg[1; 4.5 %], (15; 65.2 %)

26.2

68.8

1.7 × 10−1

208.4

4.6 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, mg/kg(5; 21.3 %)

1.21

3.12

3.4 × 10−2

9.46

4.2 × 10−3

<5

Iron-containing mineral sources

Ferrous carbonate, n = 21

Arsenic, mg/kg

6.50

5.07

5.55

19.4

1.15

30

bMercury, μg/kg[3; 14.3 %]

149.0

142.9

110.2

594.0

8.3

<200

Lead, mg/kg

14.51

17.35

7.44

72.06

1.1 × 10−2

<200

Cadmium, mg/kg(2; 9.5 %)

0.73

1.36

1.0 × 10−1

4.45

7.7 × 10−3

<5

Ferric oxide, n = 16

Arsenic, mg/kg(1; 6.2 %)

6.38

5.28

4.89

18.49

1.7 × 10−2

30

bMercury, μg/kg[3; 18.7 %]

155.1

126.1

122.1

603.0

26.2

<200

Lead, mg/kg

8.94

13.57

2.67

49.18

1.14

<100

bCadmium, mg/kg(4; 25.0 %), [1; 6.2 %]

0.82

1.95

7.0 × 10−2

6.31

1.1 × 10−2

<5.0 × 103

Ferrous sulfate, n = 17

Arsenic, μg/kg(4; 23.5 %)

1323.7

3395.1

118.2

12750

3.02

3.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg

169.4

319.7

100.2

1439.0

23.8

<200

bLead, mg/kg(2; 11.8 %), [1; 5.9 %]

34.8

96.1

8.8

393.00

3.1 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(6; 35.3 %)

45.8

30.7

45.1

107.1

6.1

<5.0 × 103

Assaya

Mean

SD

Median

Max

Min

Guideline value or guaranteed analysis

Magnesium-containing mineral sources

Magnesium oxide, n = 21

Arsenic, μg/kg(8; 38.1 %)

944.4

1289.9

559.4

5200.0

1.3

2.0 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg(1; 4.8 %), [2; 9.5 %]

81.1

72.1

68.1

287.0

6.6

<200

Lead, mg/kg(11; 52.4 %), [1; 4.8 %]

39.0

135.8

7.7 × 10−1

628.1

6.0 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(4; 19.0 %)

54.4

79.6

28.0

262.1

7.7

<5.0 × 103

Magnesium sulfate, n = 18

Arsenic, μg/kg(8; 44.4 %)

288.1

297.8

75.1

784.7

7.38

2.0 × 103

Mercury, μg/kg

86.0

34.9

79.1

164.1

5.02

<200

Lead, mg/kg(11; 61.1 %)

5.1

11.5

2.4 × 10−1

33.2

2.2 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(10; 55.5 %)

18.5

13.7

10.4

40.6

3.6

<5.0 × 103

Manganese-containing mineral sources

Manganous oxide, n = 21

Arsenic, mg/kg

28.6

18.3

29.0

61.2

1.2

100

bMercury, μg/kg [6; 28.6 %]

348.6

543.0

198.1

2.6 × 103

1.23

<200

Lead, mg/kg

28.5

19.6

26.1

79.8

2.7 × 10−2

<200

bCadmium, mg/kg(1; 4.8 %), [6; 28.6 %]

2.84

2.25

3.47

5.49

2.0 × 10−3

<5

Manganese sulfate, n = 15

Arsenic, μg/kg(4; 26.7 %)

418.8

470.2

271.9

1.6 × 103

18.8

2.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg

67.2

41.9

69.3

163.4

6.2

<200

Lead, μg/kg(8; 53.3 %)

1.3 × 103

2.1 × 103

265.2

5.0 × 103

6.3

<1.0 × 105

Cadmium, μg/kg(2; 13.3 %)

1.1 × 103

1.5 × 103

287.2

4.0 × 103

48.11

<5.0 × 103

Sulfur-containing mineral sources

Elemental sulfur, n = 20

Arsenic, μg/kg(15; 75.0 %)

76.1

38.0

71.2

145.8

39.4

2.0 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg[6; 30.0 %]

21.4

52.1

1.7 × 10−1

149.0

2.6

<200

Lead, mg/kg(13; 65.0 %)

1.6 × 10−1

5.2 × 10−2

1.6 × 10−1

2.4 × 10−1

6.9 × 10−2

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(7; 35.0 %)

30.6

15.4

30.3

52.4

4.5

<5.0 × 103

Zinc-containing mineral sources

Zinc oxide, n = 22

Arsenic, μg/kg(1; 4.5 %)

1.3 × 103

2.3 × 103

365.2

9.8 × 103

12.75

<1.0 × 105

bMercury, μg/kg[2; 9.1 %]

133.1

181.0

78.9

882.0

16.1

<200

Lead, mg/kg

55.8

68.2

26.5

252.0

2.5 × 10−2

<400

bCadmium, μg/kg(1; 4.5 %), [1; 4.5 %]

2.5 × 103

1.7 × 103

2.8 × 103

5.0 × 103

5.03

<5.0 × 103

Zinc sulfate, n = 18

Arsenic, μg/kg(11; 61.1 %)

347.4

667.2

83.9

2.0 × 103

15.79

2.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg(1; 5.5 %)

95.6

44.8

81.4

186.6

28.7

<200

Lead, mg/kg(8; 44.4 %)

2.9 × 10−1

2.3 × 10−1

2.1 × 10−1

7.0 × 10−1

5.9 × 10−2

<100

bCadmium, μg/kg[1; 5.5 %]

2.7 × 103

2.9 × 103

1.8 × 103

1.2 × 104

1.75

<5.0 × 103

Selenium-containing mineral sources

Microgran™ Se 1 % BMP (sodium selenite), n = 13

Arsenic, μg/kg (5; 38.5 %)

544.7

721.8

310.8

2.4 × 103

10.2

<2.0 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg[4; 30.8 %]

148.4

126.7

118.9

457.5

28.0

<200

Lead, μg/kg(9; 69.2 %)

6.1 × 10−1

6.0 × 10−1

4.0 × 10−1

1.6

2.4 × 10−2

<1.0 × 105

Assaya

Mean

SD

Median

Max

Min

Guideline value or guaranteed analysis

Cadmium, μg/kg

133.5

82.8

162.2

230.8

17.1

<5.0 × 103

Sodium selenite 1 %, n = 11

Arsenic, μg/kg(5; 45.5 %)

1.4 × 103

9.6 × 102

1.4 × 103

2.8 × 103

172.9

2.0 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg[3; 27.3 %]

165.8

87.5

146.1

330.7

33.44

<200

Lead, μg/kg(1; 9.1 %)

32.5

50.6

7.2 × 102

1.1 × 103

13.3

1.0 × 105

Cadmium, μg/kg

625.2

344.9

725.7

1.1 × 103

13.3

<5.0 × 103

Sodium selenite, n = 8

Arsenic, μg/kg(2; 25.0 %)

3.1 × 103

2.3 × 103

2.9 × 103

7.2 × 103

6.0 × 102

2.0 × 104

bMercury, μg/kg[4; 50.0 %]

264.0

146.4

241.5

462.0

93.9

<200

Lead, mg/kg(4; 50.0 %)

3.79

3.36

3.45

8.16

1.5 × 10−1

<100

Cadmium, μg/kg(5; 62.5 %)

34.8

10.1

34.8

44.9

24.7

<5.0 × 103

Potassium-containing mineral sources

Potassium Chloride, n = 17

Arsenic, μg/kg(10; 58.8 %)

188.1

210.9

124.3

672.2

9.6

2.0 × 104

Mercury, μg/kg(1; 5.9 %)

85.3

46.4

81.1

181.3

3.9

<200

Lead, μg/kg(6; 35.6 %)

69.3

110.1

4.5 × 10−1

323.1

5.5 × 10−2

1.0 × 105

Cadmium, μg/kg(8; 47.0 %)

120.9

187.1

50.1

492.7

3.4 × 10−1

<5.0 × 103

  1. aNumbers in parenthesis represent the number (n) of samples that are not detected using our current method of analysis. bRepresent minerals for which at least one sample’s concentration is above the European guidelines and square brackets represent the actual number of samples in this situation
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