• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2001

This study was conducted to estimate the contents of trace metals in vegetable which were produced in Korea. The levels of trace metals determined using a mercury analyzer, and ICP (inductively coupled plasma spectrometer) and an AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometer) after wet digestion. The values of trace metals [minimum~maximum (mean), mg/kg] in vegetables were a follows ; Hg : 0.0001~0.019 (0.002), Pb : 0.001~0.28 (0.02), Cd : 0.001~0.078 (0.016), As : 0.001~0.06 (0.02), Cu : 0.06~24.81 (0.77), Mn : 0.17~15.12 (2.32), Zn : 0.13~28.70 (2.51). These results showed that metal contents in vegetables on domestic markets were similar to those reported in other countries. The weekly average intakes of lead, cadmium and mercury from vegetables take 2~7% of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) that the FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee had set to evaluate their safeties.