In recent years, especially among younger populations, the consumption of herbal teas has significantly increased, often driven by their perceived health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and slimming effects [1]. Several studies have linked regular intake of teas to the prevention of chronic conditions, including certain types of cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as to enhanced immune function and reduced cholesterol and inflammation levels [1]. Despite their growing popularity, Italian regulations regarding the marketing, safety, and contaminant content of herbal teas remain limited. The inclusion of novel ingredients, such as algae and hemp, may introduce the presence of metals, including potentially toxic metals. Moreover, habitual consumption of herbal infusions can contribute significantly to the intake of essential elements (e.g., Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, and Zn), in some cases exceeding recommended dietary limits [2,3]. This highlights the need for reliable, cost-effective, and efficient analytical methods to quantify elemental concentrations and assess dietary exposure for consumer protection. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of 38 elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Te, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Zn, and Zr) in various herbal teas commonly consumed in Italy, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). An optimized sample preparation procedure was developed and tested using different reagent mixtures and four certified reference materials (NIST1515, NIST1547, INCT-TL-1, and BCR482). The digestion mixture composed of HNO₃ and H₂O₂ in a 2:1 (v/v) ratio provided consistent and accurate results across all samples. Infusions were evaluated at three different brewing times (3, 5, and 15 minutes) to assess the potential risk associated with elemental intake under realistic consumption conditions. The validated method is suitable for routine quality control and safety assessment of herbal tea infusions. [1] H. Cao, L. Qiao, H. Zhang, J. Chen. Exposure and risk assessment for aluminium and heavy metals in Puerh tea. Sci. Total Environ. 2010, 408(14), 2777-2784. [2] A. Szymczycha-Madeja, M. Welna, P. Pohl. Elemental analysis of teas and their infusions by spectrometric methods. Trends Analyt. Chem. 2012, 35, 165-181. [3] T. Karak, F.R. Kutu, J.R. Nath, I. Sonar, R.K. Paul, R.K. Boruah, S. Sanyal, S. Sabhapondit, A.K. Dutta. Micronutrients (B, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, and Zn) content in made tea (Camellia sinensis L.) and tea infusion with health prospect: A critical review. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2017, 57(14), 2996-3034.
ICP-MS-based multi-element analysis of herbal teas and infusions: implications for consumer safety / Enri, Elodie; Pagliaro, M.; Vavalà, A.; Astolfi, M. L.. - (2025), pp. 1-532. (Intervento presentato al convegno XXXI Congresso della Divisione di Chimica Analitica della Società Chimica Italiana (SCI) tenutosi a Pisa).
ICP-MS-based multi-element analysis of herbal teas and infusions: implications for consumer safety
M. Pagliaro;M. L. Astolfi
2025
Abstract
In recent years, especially among younger populations, the consumption of herbal teas has significantly increased, often driven by their perceived health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and slimming effects [1]. Several studies have linked regular intake of teas to the prevention of chronic conditions, including certain types of cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as to enhanced immune function and reduced cholesterol and inflammation levels [1]. Despite their growing popularity, Italian regulations regarding the marketing, safety, and contaminant content of herbal teas remain limited. The inclusion of novel ingredients, such as algae and hemp, may introduce the presence of metals, including potentially toxic metals. Moreover, habitual consumption of herbal infusions can contribute significantly to the intake of essential elements (e.g., Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, and Zn), in some cases exceeding recommended dietary limits [2,3]. This highlights the need for reliable, cost-effective, and efficient analytical methods to quantify elemental concentrations and assess dietary exposure for consumer protection. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of 38 elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Te, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Zn, and Zr) in various herbal teas commonly consumed in Italy, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). An optimized sample preparation procedure was developed and tested using different reagent mixtures and four certified reference materials (NIST1515, NIST1547, INCT-TL-1, and BCR482). The digestion mixture composed of HNO₃ and H₂O₂ in a 2:1 (v/v) ratio provided consistent and accurate results across all samples. Infusions were evaluated at three different brewing times (3, 5, and 15 minutes) to assess the potential risk associated with elemental intake under realistic consumption conditions. The validated method is suitable for routine quality control and safety assessment of herbal tea infusions. [1] H. Cao, L. Qiao, H. Zhang, J. Chen. Exposure and risk assessment for aluminium and heavy metals in Puerh tea. Sci. Total Environ. 2010, 408(14), 2777-2784. [2] A. Szymczycha-Madeja, M. Welna, P. Pohl. Elemental analysis of teas and their infusions by spectrometric methods. Trends Analyt. Chem. 2012, 35, 165-181. [3] T. Karak, F.R. Kutu, J.R. Nath, I. Sonar, R.K. Paul, R.K. Boruah, S. Sanyal, S. Sabhapondit, A.K. Dutta. Micronutrients (B, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, and Zn) content in made tea (Camellia sinensis L.) and tea infusion with health prospect: A critical review. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2017, 57(14), 2996-3034.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
