Abstract: A new rapid method was established to determine metal elements in medlar fruit by microwave digestion and continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry. Samples were subjected to microwave digestion before simultaneous determination of six metal elements, including iron, zinc, copper, manganese, cadmium and lead. The established method presented a limit of detection ranging from 0.006070 to 0.04975 μg/L. The precision RSDs were between 1.5% and 5.0% (n = 12). The mean spike recoveries for the six metal elements ranged from 86.68% to 111.7% (n = 6). This method has been used to simultaneously determine iron, zinc, copper, manganese, cadmium and lead in medlar fruit with the benefits of rapidity, simplicity and low cost and satisfying results.

Key words: medlar fruit, metal elements, microwave digestion, continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry