Determination of trace elements in Italian wines by means of total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract

This work was performed to highlight the advantages of total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) for multi-elemental qualitative and quantitative analysis of wine. Indeed the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) selected some potentially toxic elements and proposed limit values for their concentration in wines.

Direct TXRF analysis of nine wine samples from Emilia Romagna region of Italy was performed in two different laboratories: Italy and Japan. Wine dehydration was also evaluated as sample conservation mean.

Traces of Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb are present in all the analysed samples, with concentrations lower than the limits established by the OIV. The target hazard quotients (THQs) were also calculated for seven elements (Cl, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Sr) to determine their potential detrimental effects.

The results show that TXRF is a fast, simple and accurate analytical technique for trace element analysis of wine. Moreover, dehydration is an effective way to store wine samples for further elemental analysis.

Keywords:

• TXRF
• wine
• trace elements
• dehydration
• THQ

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science [grant number S13045]; Italian Ministry of Economical Development and ICE in the frame of the CRUI agreement of 2010, Project 19.