Estimation of differences in trace element composition of Bulgarian summer fruits using ICP-MS

Abstract

Abstract. The content of potentially essential and toxic elements: chromium, manganese, iron, copper, nickel, cadmium and arsenic in Bulgarian fruits such as aronia, morello, cherry, raspberry, nectarine peach, apple type „akane” and pear type „early gold” were investigated. By using the ICP-MS we found that -1 -1 -1 raspberry has the highest content of iron (4635.9 ± 53.2 μg kg ), manganese (5690.9 ± 31.7 μg kg ) and chromium (150.2 ± 2.5 μg kg ), while the richest in -1 copper is the nectarine (887.5 ± 31.19 μg kg ). The content of toxic elements (nickel, cadmium and arsenic) is in amount significantly below the permissible standards. Single ANOVA and subsequent Dunkan's test were used to define the fruit and to estimate the significance of chemical elements. The test for multidirectional comparisons indicated that for five of the investigated seven elements: iron, copper, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic the fruits are statistically distinguishable According to hierarchical cluster analysis the fruits are into one cluster.

Keywords

• trace element content
• fruits
• Dunkan multidirectional analysis
• cluster analysis