Abstract:

The contents of twelve elements including Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd, Cu, Se, Pb, Co, Sn, V, Cr and Ni in tea leaves from
Taishun county were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Tea samples were
digested by microwave with HNO3-H2O2. The results showed the recoveries of twelve elements from spiked tea samples
were in the range of 92.0%–106.5%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 5.0% under the optimal conditions.
The method is simple, rapid and accurate. The essential trace elements for human in Taishun tea samples were rich, while the
contents of Cd, Pb and Cr in the tea samples were lower than the permitted levels in the national standards.

Key words: tea, microwave digestion, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), trace element