DETERMINATION OF 9 ELEMENTS IN SHERRY WINE BY INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY

A quick and simple method was developed to analyze various ''fino'' sh erry wines for routine determination of Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn content. The analysis involved heating the wine sample in an o ven at 80 degrees C to evaporate the ethanol, followed by sequential d etermination of the elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emis sion spectrometry. The following metal concentrations (mg/L) were obta ined: Al, 1.02-4.06; Ca, 85.00-150.00; Cu, 0.06-1.62; Fe, 2.19-4.91; K , 435.02-651.65; Mg, 79.1-108.57; Mn, 0.37-2.13; Na, 27.09-54.26; and Zn, 0.12-5.08. Mean recoveries of elements from fortified wines were 1 01.6% for Al, 103.6% for Ca, 97.4% for Cu, 100.3% for Fe, 100.7% for K , 103.6% for Mg, 99.1% for Mn, 105.7% for Na, and 99.99% for Zn. The e stimated detection limits were 15.2 mu g Al/L, 39.9 mu g Ca/L, 20.1 mu g Cu/L, 19.1 mu g Fe/L, 116.4 mu g K/L, 20.3 mu g Mg/L, 20.2 mu g Mn/ L, 34.6 mu g Na/l, and 25.4 mu g Zn/L. The repeatability relative stan dard deviation ranged from 1.1 (Mg) to 5.3% (Na), and the reproducibil ity relative standard deviation ranged from 2.0 (Mg) to 9.3% (Al). The results were compared with those obtained by flame atomic absorption spectrometry and, for Al, by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectr ometry. By the method for regression lines we demonstrated that no dif ferences in concentrations were obtained for any of the elements assay ed. The proposed method is rapid and simple, needs only a small amount of sample, and has acceptable analytical characteristics.