Assessment of selected metals and metalloids in European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits from the Gorski Kotar region in Croatia

Kvantificiranje metala i metaloida u različitim prehrambenim namirnicama (voda, mliječni proizvodi, voće, povrće, itd.), poglavito onih koji u povišenim koncentracijama mogu predstavljati hazard za ljudski organizam, od interesa je istraţivača diljem svijeta. U ovom radu provedena je analiza odabranih glavnih elemenata i elemenata u tragovima („teških metala“) u borovnicama, koje su uzorkovane na području Gorskog kotara. TakoĎer, na iste kemijske elemente provedena je analiza tla s kojih potječu uzorci plodova. Odabrani kemijski elementi odreĎivani su tehnikom ICP-OES u otopinama, koje su prireĎene raščinjavanjem uzoraka kiselinskim reagensima u miktrovalnom sustavu za digestiju.Quantification of metals and metalloids in various food (water, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, etc.), especially those that in elevated concentrations can pose a hazard to the human body; it is of interest to researchers around the world. In this paper, the analysis of selected major elements and trace elements ("heavy metals") as well as of some non-metals in blueberries, which were sampled in the area of Gorski kotar, was performed. Also, the analysis of the soil from which the fruit samples originate was performed. The selected chemical elements were determined by the ICP-OES technique in solutions, which were prepared by dissolving the samples with acidic reagents in a microwave digestion system