TRACE ELEMENTS IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

Abstract

The concentration of six different trace metals [vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr),  lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd)] were determined in various fruit and vegetables [peach (Prunus persica L.), plum (Prunus domestica L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), courgette or marrow (Cucurbita pepo L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)] provided by diverse farms. Metal distribution was also separately evaluated, in skin and pulp, where it was possible. Their contributions to human daily intake of trace metals were investigated. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of these metals in the fruit and vegetables. All traces of elements tested in peaches and tomatoes were higher in the skin than in the pulp except for Cd in the peaches; all traces of elements tested in plums and marrows were higher in the pulp than in the skin. The concentrations of Pb and Cd in lettuce were 1.3 and 2.7 times above the permissible levels, respectively. It is concluded that the regular monitoring of food trace metals is very important to prevent diseases that depend on their excessive accumulation in the human food chain.