Determination of the Amount of Rare Metals (Zn, Fe, Cu) and Toxic (Pb, Cd, Ni) in Gum of Amygdalus Haussknechtii (Arjan) in Western Jungles of Iran

Due to the importance of using plant materials such as tree gum in industry, quality control of these materials is necessary to ensure human health and prevent environmental pollution. Gums play a stabilizing, emulsifying and tissue-improving role in food and medicine. Edible gum extracted from Amygdalus Haussknechtii (Arjan) tree contains some essential metals (zinc, iron and copper) and toxic (lead, cadmium and nickel). In this study, the concentrations of essential metals such as zinc, iron and copper and toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and nickel in the gum exuded from the Arjan tree that grows in three regions (Ilam, Lorestan and Fars) were measured. In this study, the concentration of essential and toxic metals in Arjan tree gum was measured based on wet digestion method (acid digestion) using ultrasound and atomic absorption spectrometer. The gums samples, after being ashed and digested in hydrochloric acid, were placed in an ultrasonic bath (ultrasound) at 40 ° C for ten minutes. According to the measurements of the samples from the three regions, the highest concentration belongs to iron metal. Based on one-way analysis of variance and subsequent t-test, there is a significant difference between the concentrations of toxic and essential metals in the three regions (P <0.05). High concentration of lead and some essential metals in gum samples could exist due to high accumulation of this metal in soil. Therefore, continues monitoring of toxic and essential metals in edible materials of farmlands plays an important role in reducing the environmental risks threating human health.