Trace elemental characterization of edible oils by ICP–AES and GFAAS

A method for the determination of the inorganic profile in edible oils is proposed. The quantification of selected metals in various oils (olive, pumpkin seed, sunflower, sesame seed, hazelnut, grape, soya, rice oil) was carried out using microwave assisted digestion followed by ICP–AES and GFAAS. The detection power of the ICP–AES technique was sufficient for the determination of Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, and Zn. Since the samples contained very low amounts of Al, Cu, Co, Cr, K, Ni, Mn, and Pb, these elements were measured by GFAAS. Differences of metal concentrations for edible oils obtained in this preliminary study represent a starting basis for the development of an additional analytical procedure applicable for oil characterization.