Determination of heavy metals in food

Abstract

This paper, presented to the Food Characteristics symposium, discusses analytical methods for the determination of trace metals, their reproducibility, and presents some results on individual food and total diet studies. There are four principal stages in the analysis of a food for its trace metal content: sampling; destruction of organic matter; separation and concentration; end determination techniques. The major techniques are outlined: atomic absorption spectrophotometry; flame emission; colorimetric methods; and other techniques.