A Study on the Heavy Metal Contents of Common Salts in Korea

우리나라 일부 소금의 중금속 함량에 대한 조사연구

In order to determine the content levels of trace metals in common salts, 64 bay salt samples were collected from three producing districts and 33 bay salt samples, 32 remade salt samples and 5 fine salt samples were collected from 7 major cities in Korea, from August to September 1987. These were analysed for content levels of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Mn using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results were as follows: 1. Lead contents in three type salts were N.D. - 1081.9 $\mu$g/kg and fourteen percent of the 114 samples exceeded the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria of 100$\mu$g/kg. Cadmium contents of samples were N.D.- 382C.5 $\mu$g/kg and five percent of the 114 samples were over the Spanish criteria of 500 $\mu$g/kg. Copper contents of samples were 8,9-214.9 $\mu$g/kg and there was not a sample over the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria of 500 $\mu$g/kg. Zinc contents ranged N.D. - 342.9 $\mu$g/kg and Manganese contents ranged N.D.- 8.31 mg/kg. 2. The comparison of heavy metal contents among the bay salts from three producing districts was significantly different in Pb, Cd and Cu contents. 3. The comparison of heavy metal contents between the bay salts and remade salts was not significantly different in Pb, Cd and Cu contents. 4. The contents of Pb, Cd, Zn and Mn in fine salts were much lower than those of bay salts and remade salts.