Overview
Hopfer and colleagues measured 57 elements by ICP-MS and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy in 68 commercial whiskies (Bourbon, Tennessee, Scotch, Irish and Japanese) to test whether elemental fingerprints separate whiskey types and Scotch production areas. Table 2 gives the detection limit and the observed range of every element, and Table 3 gives type means for the 23 elements that differed by type, including cadmium.
Key numbers
- Across all 68 whiskies: cadmium <LOD to 9.82 µg/L, lead <LOD to 9.68 µg/L, arsenic 0.098 to 22.4 µg/L, chromium 175 to 1380 µg/L, nickel 1.52 to 37.5 µg/L (Table 2).
- Cadmium type means: Bourbon 0.152, Irish 1.71, Japanese 2.189, Scotch 0.286, Tennessee 0.355 µg/L (Table 3).
- Copper type means range from 15.2 µg/L (Tennessee) to 749 µg/L (Japanese) (Table 3).
Methods (brief)
Whiskies were diluted 10-fold in dilute nitric and hydrochloric acid and run in triplicate on ICP-MS with matrix-matched (ethanol) calibration; five major elements were read by MP-AES. Detection limits came from 10 blank measurements. No certified reference material exists for spirits, so accuracy was checked by spiking three whiskies (recoveries 65% to 121%).
Evidence Fitness
A direct measurement of whiskey with a sensitive method and stated per-element detection limits. Only ranges and type means are printed (no per-sample data, no lead or arsenic type means), the Tennessee group has two samples, and purchase location and dates are not stated. Mercury was not reported. Results are per litre of whiskey and are not comparable with mg/kg food values.
Related evidence
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