EVALUATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DIGES TION PROCEDURE OF SOLUBLE COFFEE FOR NUTRIENT AND INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS DETERMINATION BY ICP-AESANALYSIS

The objective of this report was the evaluation and establishment of a n appropriate digestion procedure for soluble coffee, in order to dete rmine, by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrom etry),the following elements: Mg, Al, P, S, Ca, Mn, Fe, Sn, Na, K, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Pb and Hg. Six differents digestion proce dures have been evaluated and classificated in three groups: (I) focus ed microwave system, (II) conventional wet digestion and (III) pressur e digestion system by teflon bombs. Quick and safe digestion of the sa mples, with decreasing of the reactives, have been obtained by one of the procedures using focused microwaves system.