A new ICP-MS based approach for the analysis of heavy metals in feeder insect Tenebrio molitor

Heavy metal accumulation in feeder insects is becoming a major food safety concern as it is a threat to human health through the transmission of toxic compounds into the human food chain. For the determination of heavy metals in Tenebrio molitor feeder insect by ICP-MS, an accurate and sensitive approach has been devised and validated in this study. The criteria for new methods, such as linearity and range, accuracy, precision, selectivity, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation are used to verify this method. The current technique exhibits linearity with correlation coefficient values not less than 0.99. The developed method shows accuracy ranging from 91.13 to 104.93%. When the RSD of the responses of replicates of the metals at specification levels is less than 20%, the approach is also precise. This method enables the detection and quantification of certain metals at low concentrations due to their low limit of detection and limit of quantification.