Trace elements levels in some kinds of dates

Trace elements, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na Ni, Pb and Zn were determ ined in 18 date samples purchased from different localities of Saudi Arabia (Madinah, Al-Laith, Yanbu, Al-Ahsaa Najran, Besha, Riyadh and Al-Kasseem). The dried powdered samples were digested in HNO3-HClO4 acid mixture, and e lement concentrations were determined with a recording atomic absorption sp ectrophotometer. The results were in the ppm range 1413-4340 (Ca), 0.05-0.7 4 (Cd), 0.06-0.11 (Co), 0.02-1.45 (Cr), 0.11-0.65 (Cu), 0.44-7.94 (Fe), 887 2-19000 (K), 925-2800 (Mg), 0.10-0.51 (Mn), 5-184 (Na), and 0.22-2.02 (Zn). However, Ni reached 0.21, 0.19 pp for Succari and Safawi only, and Pb was not detected. Ni and Pb may not be present in the date samples or may need a more sensitive method for measurement. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.