Determination of aluminium in beer by GF-AAS

Submitted on behalf of the Analysis Committee of the European Brewery Convention

Abstract

A method for the determination of aluminium in beer, has been collaboratively tested. The method tested relies on atomic absorption spectrometry with atomization in a graphite furnace. Five pairs of beers, with concentrations ranging from 96 to 1000 µg/litre, were analysed by eleven laboratories. The repeatability (r₉₅) values ranged from 10 to 69 µg/l, and the reproducibility (R₉₅) values ranged from 70 to 465 µg/l. A second collaborative trial with a slightly different method protocol gave no improvement. Due to the high reproducibility values the method was not adopted for inclusion in Analytica-EBC.