Estimation of heavy metals in Tea and Coffee powder using Shimadzu inductively-coupledplasma-mass spectrometry

Introduction

Tea, traditionally known as a beverage made by brewing the leaves of Camellia sinensis, tea is one of the most consumed non-alcoholic drink around the world due to its nutritional importance as a source of several minerals (eg,Fe,Mn,K,and Zn) and antioxidants such as catechin and flavonoids. The health benefits related to tea consumption also include the prevention of diseases, such as skin cancer, myocardial infarction, and Parkinson’s disease, as well as the reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood and the risk for type 2 diabetes. The inorganic components of tea include essential minerals such as Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn and non-essential minerals or contaminants such as As, Cd, and Pb. The accumulation of trace elements in tea leaves is based on the acidophilic nature of their plants: metal dissolution increases in acidic soils compared with neutral or alkaline soils.

January 10, 2020 GMT