Determination of Trace Mineral Elements in some Tropical Fruits

Trace mineral elements play a vital role in the metabolic pathways in humans, when available in adequate concentrations. These elements may be present in varying amount in fruits. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of some the trace mineral element in some tropical fruits commonly consumed in Port Harcourt metropolis in Nigeria. The mineral elements measured included Co, Fe, Mn, Ni & Zn. The levels of these elements were analyzed in banana, cucumber, guava, mango, orange and tomato, using AAS after acid digestion. The results obtained were as follow Co between 0.0108-0.0156mg/kg, Fe between 0.066-0.119mg/kg, Mn between 0.0051-0.0117mg/kg, Ni between 0.002-0.012mg/kg and Zn between 0.0276-0.0624. These trace mineral elements were found in comparatively low concentration in the six tropical fruits used for this research