This survey determined the levels of eight phthalates - i.e. dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) - in several Belgian milk and dairy products. Samples were obtained from various farms, a dairy factory and from different shops in order to investigate phthalate contamination "from farm to fork". At several stages in the milk chain, product contamination with phthalates - mostly DiBP, DnBP, BzBP and DEHP - was observed. At farm level, the mechanical milking process and the intake of phthalate containing feed by the cattle were found to be possible contamination sources. At industry and retail level, contact materials including packaging materials were additional contamination sources for phthalates in milk and dairy products.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used to separate four anionic {arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid} and two cationic forms (arsenobetaine and arsenocholine) of As in a single run. At sufficiently high concentrations, the determination of these compounds could be accomplished by means of UV detection. The determination of low concentrations (<10 µg l ^–1 ) of these compounds of interest was accomplished by coupling CE on-line with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To accomplish this coupling, a microconcentric nebulizer was used. The modifications necessary to make a conventional CE system compatible with ICP-MS, the optimization of the operation parameters and of sample stacking conditions together with the effect of the sheath liquid and of an induced laminar flow are discussed. The analytical figures of merit of the method were assessed and the limit of determination (based on the peak height of a peak for which the signal-to-noise ratio is 10:1) was found to be 1-2 µg l ^–1 As for each species. The recovery for the compounds of interest was determined using a spiked mineral water sample. Samples of mineral water, soil leachate and urine were analyzed with the CE-ICP-MS combination.