Mineral Elements Measurement in Almond Kernels

There are several analytical techniques available for determination of minerals in nuts. For example there is atomic absorption. X-ray fluorescence, flame emission and arc/spark emission spectroscopy, spectrophotometry and specific ion electrodes. With inductively coupled plasma spectrometery (ICPS), it is possible to determine P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo and B in plant materials. ICPS has the potential to determine all the nutritional elements (except nitrogen) with a polychromator sequentially scanning monochromator in the single digestion (Zarcinas et al. 1987). 

The advantage of this method is that it is simple, quick and precise plant material is made ready for this method by digestion using nitric acid to allow the simultaneous determination of at least 14 elements. The disadvantage is that it is a relatively expensive method. 

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