Investigation of Heavy Metal Content of Turkish Teas and Tea Infusions

Abstract

A procedure for the determination of heavy metals (HMs) aluminum, manganese, iron, copper, zinc and nickel) in Turkish teas of different brands, years, and forms (leaves, sachets, etc.), which were most widely consumed in Turkey, was developed. The samples obtained from local market were digested by wet ashing technique via HNO3-H2O2 and they were analyzed with high recovery (94% to 98%), precision, accuracy and repeatability via flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS) and graphite furnace AAS for their HM content. The regression coefficients were above 0.99, and the detection limits were in the range of 0.0065-0.1846 ppm. The performance and accuracy of the method was determined by analyzing "Certified Reference Material GBW 08501-Peach Leaves." The results obtained were in agreement with the standard values for the HMs analyzed. Thus, the method proposed here may be used in a wide range of applications for to establish a relationship among the composition, processing, storage of tea plant and brewing conditions of tea

Keywords

• Turkish tea
• tea infusion
• brewing period
• brewing additives
• heavy metals

Türk Çaylarının ve Çay Demlemelerinin Ağır Metal İçeriğinin Araştırılması

Abstract

Bu çalışmada Türkiye'den çok tüketilen farklı marka, yıl ve formdaki (yaprak, poşet vb.) Türkçaylarındaki ağır metallerin (HMs) alüminyum, mangan, demir, bakır, çinko ve nikel tayini için bir yöntem geliştirildi. Yerel piyasadan temin edilen numuneler, HNO3-H2O2 kullanılarak yaş kül etme yöntemiyle kül edildi ve ağır metal içerikleri alev atomik absorpsiyon spektrometresi (F-AAS) ve grafit fırın-AAS ile yüksek geri kazanım verimiyle (%94 ila %98), hassasiyetle, doğrulukla ve tekrarlanabilirlikle analizedildi. Regresyon katsayılarının 0,99'un üstünde olduğu, saptama limitlerinin 0,0065-0,1846 ppm aralığında olduğu görülmüştür. Yöntemin performansı ve doğruluğu, "Sertifikalı Referans Malzemesi GBW 08501-Şeftali Yaprağı" analize dilerek belirlendi. Ağır metaller için elde edilen sonuçların analiz edilen standart değerlerle uyumlu olduğu görülmüştür. Bu nedenle, burada önerilen yöntemin, çaybitkisinin içeriği, işlenmesi, depolanması ve demleme koşulları arasında ilişki kurmak için geniş bir uygulama yelpazesinde kullanılabileceği görülmüştür.

Keywords

• Türk çayları
• çay demi
• çay demleme süresi
• demleme katkı maddeleri
• ağır metaller

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