Arizona Department of Health Services FERN Chemistry Project

The Arizona FERN Chemistry Program will utilize the GC/MS, LC/MS/MS, ICP- MS, ELISA, and IC-MS instrument platforms to continue with research projects started in the previous five-year grant cycle. Specifically inorganic work in a Level 3 multi-lab validation of EAM 4.7 Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometric (ICP-MS) and matrix expansion of the arsenic speciation methods EAM 4.10 and EAM 4.11. Ongoing organic projects include a Level 3 multi-lab validation of the T-022 version 9 Poison Screen using HPLC-MS, an instrument extension to CHE.0006.01 for using an Agilent 5977 GC/MS systems, and adding an amendment to CHE.0006.01 for use of hydrogen as a carrier gas instead of helium. In addition, the program proposes original research projects that will enhance the food safety and food defense capability and capacity of FERN. Specifically an instrument and analyte expansion of the T-034 Screen for Fluoroacetate, Azide, and Nitrite using Ion Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (IC-MS), the development of a GC-MS pesticide and endocrine disruptor screen utilizing deconvolution reporting software, the development of a qualitative high throughput screen for toxic metals with handheld X- Ray Fluorescence analyzers, the development of a high throughput method to screen for illegal food dyes, and the development of a method for speciation of chromium in food matrices. The program remains available to assist the FDA with surge capacity needs and will continue towards ISO-17025 accreditation.