Analysis of some metals in some brands of tea sold in Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Tea leaves can be a source of mineral components and trace elements as well as some undesirable substances due to exposure to the environment. In this study, Mg, Fe, Ca, Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb were analyzed by Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS), K and Na were also determined by flame photometer. Among the metals analyzed, K was the most abundant, ranging from 30.00mg/dm3 in china sample to 34.60 mg/dm3 in Srilanka sample, followed by Mg with 9.03 mg/dm3 in India sample to 9.21 mg/dm3 in Srilanka sample. Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Na and Cu were also found in reasonable amounts. Fortunately, toxic heavy metal (Pb) had the lowest concentration in all the tea samples with concentration ranging from 0.04 mg/dm3 in India and Srilanka samples to 0.09 mg/dm3 in China sample.

Keywords: Essential metals, Trace metals, Tea, Kano