ENOLOGICAL METAL SPECIATION ANALYSIS

The use of Biters of different pore size provided a wealth of informat ion concerning the possible physical forms (dissolved or suspended fra ctions) in which the total metal content of wine is present. The conce ntrations of the metals investigated (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Al, Fe, Ca) decreased when being filtered, a phenomenon of great significance from the viewpoint of enological treatment. As far as the reduction in met al content is concerned, the contents of different metals of a particu lar wine sample seem to decrease during the course of filtration to di fferent extents and in different ways. The reduction of a given metal that is filtered in the different wine samples often shows considerabl e differences, from which fact conclusions might be drawn in connectio n with the former treatment and storage of the wines. The conclusion i s that investigations of this kind might be suitable for detecting mis takes in enological technology. To clarify everything in an elaborativ e manner, more well-planned investigations are needed. (C) 1998 Academ ic Press.