Determination of concentration of essential and toxic metals in different varieties of fruits by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Abstract

This research was intended to study the concentration of essential and toxic metals in different
varieties of fruits available in local shops of Islamabad city and how these metals affect human health. A total of eleven samples of a varieties of fruits were examined in order to check trace levels of essential heavy metals comprising Fe, Cu, Co, Ca, Mg, K, Na and Zn and three toxic metals Pb, Ni and Cr. Acid digestion of dried samples was done with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide and then analyzed by the Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of metal ion concentrations. Results showed that Ni, 0.059-1.487; Zn, 0.055-1.783; Cu, 0.150-3.960; Co, 1.474-2.896; Cr, 0-4.095; Fe, 5.735-27.345; Ca, 30.514-
150.426; Mg, 17.422-29.499; Na, 7.744-23.539; K, 260.899-319.817 and Pb was analyzed as 0-1.571 mg/kg. These values were found to be comparable with the reported values.