Nutritional and environmental properties of algal products used in healthydiet by INAA and ICP-AES

Spirulina platensis alga sampled in the Caribbean Sea and seven other comme rcial algal products available on the Italian market of different origin an d aspect, have been analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (I NAA) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). By neutron irradiation and gamma-ray spectrometry (INAA), as many as 20 el ements could be measured instrumentally without any chemical treatment. Cu, Mg, Mn and Pb were determined after dissolution of the sample by ICP-AES. The cross-checking of the data, specifically by comparing those of Ca, Cr, Fe and Zn, obtained by the two techniques was found to be in good agreement . Special attention from analytical and nutritional point of view has been devoted to the toxic metals. The measurements have been carried out employi ng the reference algal material prepared by International Atomic Energy Age ncy (IAEA).