Elemental Content of Wines Marketed on Ghanaian Markets

Abstract

The concentrations of four metals (Cu, Zn, Fe and Sn) were determined in nine wine brands by flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) after digesting the wine samples with HNO₃-H₂O₂ mixture. Among the metals analyzed iron was found to have the highest concentration (0.2-5.6, average: 1.629 mg/L) followed by copper (0.03-0.14, average: 0.108 mg/L), tin (0-1.82, average: 0.166 mg/L) with Zn being the least (0-0.22, average 0.02 mg/L). The established contents of Cu and Zn showed that wines sold on Ghanaian market could serve as good dietary sources of the essential trace metals, and the determined values were within the allowed metal levels in wines for human consumption. The highest consumption of Fe, Cu, Zn and Sn based on daily intake of trace metals were from the consumption of red wines for both adults and children.

Keywords: wine, flame atomic absorption spectrometer