CADMIUM LEVELS IN WINE, BEER AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - POSSIBLESOURCES OF CONTAMINATION

An accurate and precise method is described for the direct determinati on of Cd in wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages by electrothermal atomization-atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS). The graphite fu rnace program was optimized and samples were pretreated with nitric ac id and pentoxide vanadium in a digestion block at 120 degrees C for 90 min. The results obtained were validated against microwave acid sampl e digestion. The analytical detection limit was 0.5 pg. The proposed m ethod was applied to determine Cd in 134 samples of 10 different alcoh olic beverages. The mean values ranged from 0.10 to 15.38 mu g/l in wi ne, from not detectable to 0.80 mu g/l in beer, and from not detectabl e to 11.52 mu g/l in other alcoholic beverages such as cider, brandy, rum, whisky, gin, anisette, liquor and spirits. The wide variability o f the results obtained emphasizes the multiplicity of factors than can influence the presence of Cd in these products. Because alcoholic bev erages are widely consumed, they contribute a large fraction of cadmiu m intake, and therefore, strict control of this element is advisable.