Survey of Arsenic Contents in Shell-Medicament Used as Chinese Medicine

TZU-MING PAN, YEN-YU ZHEN, *CHIEN-CHIH CHEN AND **CHING-SHING WANG

National Institute of Preventive Medicine
*National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine
**Ta-Jan,Pharmaceutical College

ABSTRACT

The shells of mollusks such as Concha Haliotidis (Shijueming), Concha Arcae (Walengzi), Concha Ostreae (Muli) and Pearl are used as ingredients in certain Chinese medicines. Such shells can accumulate heavy metals. Because arsenic is toxic to humans, an investigation of arsenic content in these medicaments is necessary to protect the health of humans. The shells of mollusks were digested with diversified acids, and then surveyed by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. The arsenic content was 4.45, 3.41, 1.93 and 5.28 ppm in Pearl, Muli, Shijueming, and Walengzi respectively. All were below the announced levels of safe and adequate daily dietary intake for humans.

Key Words:Arsenic, Shell-Medicament, Chinese Medicine,Atomic Absorption Spectrometry