Toxic and essential trace elements in Serbian sugarbeet, molasses and white sugar

Abstract

The trace elements As, Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were determined in sugarbeet, molasses and white sugar from sugar factories located in Vojvodina Province (Serbia). The mean contents of As, Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn. Fe and Mn of all examined samples of sugarbeet were <0.01, 0.02, <0.0005, 0.62, 0.073, 0.057, 1.63 and 0.053 mg/kg. while the mean contents of these elements in molasses were 0.18, 0.02, <0.0005, 0.20, 0.031, 0.040, 0.52 and 0.010 mg/kg, respectively. The calculated mean contents (in mg/kg) of contamination determined in white sugar were <0.01 for As, <0.002 for Pb, <0.0005 for Hg, 0.06 for Cd, 0.025 for Cu, 0.024 for Zn, 0.28 for Fe and 0.011 for Mn. The distribution of values among trace elements in sugarbeet and in the respective white sugars and molasses was examined. The results were interpreted using Pearson correlation analysis.