Gajek and colleagues measured elements in 170 whiskies. Recoveries were close to 100% on CRM TMDA 54.6. Table 2 means for aluminum, cadmium, chromium, lead, and tin are not copied, because neighboring rows for other elements print a maximum below the mean, which is a separator-loss pattern. A row labeled N is not treated as nickel.
Key numbers
Discussion figures only. Blended whisky total chromium 53.83 to 666.1 µg/L. Single malt total chromium 10.70 to 108 µg/L. One Irish blended whisky had a lead maximum of 450.9 µg/L, one of 170 samples. Total mercury was below the limit of quantification in all 170. A numeric mercury limit of quantification is not in the PDF text used here. Chromium is not labeled hexavalent. Data gap: cadmium, aluminum, nickel, and tin means are not copied from Table 2.
Methods (brief)
ICP-MS and cold-vapor AAS. The figures above are the discussion sentences, not Table 2 cell means.
Evidence fitness
The discussion extrema support a whisky chromium and lead note, and a mercury below-quantification statement without a numeric limit. They do not support the suspicious Table 2 means.
Limitations
Table 2 is internally inconsistent in the text layer. Mercury has no numeric limit of quantification in the text used here.
Related evidence
Update history
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