Ultrasound-assisted extraction of Na and K from swine feed and its application in a digestibility assay: A green analytical procedure

The study is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) as a simple strategy focused on sample preparation for metal determination in biological samples. The extraction of sodium and potassium extraction was carried out from swine feed followed by determination of the concentration of these metals by flame atomic emission spectrometry (FAES). The experiment was performed to cover the study of the variables influencing the extraction process and its optimal conditions (sample mass, particle size, acid concentration, sonication time and ultrasound power); the determination of these analytical characteristics and method validation using certified reference material; and the analysis of pre-starter diets. The optimal conditions established conditions were as follows: mass: 100 mg, particle size:<60 μm, acid concentration: 0.10 mol L−1 HCl, sonication time: 50 s and ultrasound power: 102 W. The proposed method (UAE) was applied in digestibility assays of those nutrients present in different piglet pre-starter feeds and their results proved to be compatible with those obtained from mineralized samples (P < 0.05). The ultrasound extraction method was demonstrated to be an excellent alternative for handless sampling and operational costs and the method also has the advantage of does not generating toxic residues that may negatively affect human health and contaminate the environment.