Determination of Bismuth in Environmental Samples by ICP-MS and Basic Examination of Cell Toxicity for Their Compounds

We examined both bismuth content levels in some environmental water samples (tapwater, bottled drinking water and slag obtained by sewage disposal) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cultured cell toxicity of their compounds by the MTT assay. For ICP-MS, the conditions examined were addition of internal standard (IS), apparatus condition, and determination range, etc. When we examined an IS, the advantage was not clear that the ICP-MS response of the IS candidate elements was very variable. However, the sample induction rate into ICP-MS is more changeable at any time. Since the correction of analytical results was enabled by the addition of IS, Tl-203 was selected for IS, and was used in this study The determination lower limit was 11 ppt by using 10 ppb Tl. Bi was detected in a few environmental water samples at 20.4 ppt similar to 6.8 ppb (0.07 similar to 6.83 mu g/g original slags), but Bi concentrations of most samples were lower than the determination limit. On the other hand, concerning cell toxicity the subgallate and free gallic acid affected the lives of cultured cells. Especially, the toxicity of free gallic acid was higher. It has been understood that the toxicity is weakly adjusted by chelating with Bi.