Rapid determination of trace metals in foods by using the microwave oven-digestion method. II Determination of zinc, copper, manganese, lead and cadmium.

Abstract

Wet digestion in a microwave oven was examined for rapid determination of Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb and Cd. Analytical results for metals in foods obtained by this microwave oven-digestion (MOD) method agreed well with those obtained by the conventional wet digestion technique (Kjeldahl furnace method) and further, the analytical results for National Bureau of Standards (NBS) standard reference material agreed with the certified values. The values of recovery and coefficient of variation of the metals in food samples were 84.3-113% and 0.1-6.0%, respectively. The results indicate that the MOD method could be useful for the determination of various metals in foods.