Mercury content in beetroot and beetroot-based dietary supplements

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis 2022-12, Vol.114, p.104828, Article 104828
• Main Authors: Brzezińska-Rojek, Joanna, Rutkowska, Małgorzata, Ośko, Justyna, Konieczka, Piotr, Prokopowicz, Magdalena, Grembecka, Małgorzata
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atomic absorption spectrometry; Beetroot; Beetroot extract; Beetroot supplementation; beets; Beta vulgaris; Dietary supplements; Food composition; Food safety; Mercury; precision; Provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI); risk; Target hazard quotient (THQ)
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2022.104828

Total mercury (THg) concentrations in fifty-four beetroot-based DSs and seven lots of conventional and organic beetroots (divided into unpeeled, peeled, and skins) were determined by direct thermal decomposition-gold amalgamation cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. The analytical procedure was optimised and validated. The recovery (%) for Hg was 101.9 and 92.73 in BCR-463 and DOLT 4, respectively. The intermediate precision value (4.7%) exceeded the repeatability value, which was as expected. The estimated LOD and LOQ values of the analytical procedure used were 0.096 and 0.29 [ng], respectively, and were converted to corresponding MDL and MQL values, which were 0.96 and 2.9 [ng/g], respectively. The highest contents of THg were found in conventional (28.03 ng/100 g w.w.) and organic (56.2 ng/100 g w.w.) beetroot or powder supplements (0.65 ng/g). Statistical analysis confirmed the differentiation of the analysed group of products at the level of significance 0.05 and 0.001. There were found statistically significant relationships in terms of: dietary supplement-beetroot (p