An analytical method for the determination of inorganic species in liquid cyclamate-saccharin and stevioside sweeteners is presented. The method is based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and allowed analysis without prior sample treatment. Instrumental parameters were optimized according to plasma robustness and the signal to background ratio. The accuracy of the method was evaluated for As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn employing analyte addition and recovery experiments. The recovery values were between 90 and 110% for the majority of the analytes, the RSDs obtained were, in general, lower than 5% and the limits of detection were in the range 0.7 (Mg) - 71 (Pb) µg L-1. The analyses of different samples indicated that the average values of many of the analytes studied were different for the two types of samples. Copper and Zn concentrations were in the same range and As, Co, and Pb were not detected in any samples.
dietetic sweeteners; inorganic species; ICP OES; instrument optimization; axial view
