Multi-element analysis of methanol apple peel extracts by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

Abstract

Apples are among the most popular fruits in the world. They are rich in phenolic compounds, pectin, sugars, and a vast number of inorganics beneficial for the human health. In this study, variations of macroelements and microelements contents of five different apple cultivars peel’s methanol extracts from Serbia were investigated, using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and principal component analysis (PCA). Regarding macro elements, K, Na, Ca and Mg are with the highest contents. The most abundant essential element is Fe. Among toxic and potentially toxic elements, only the presence of Al and Sr is registered. The analyzed samples are classified into five groups by PCA.