DETERMINATION OF ESSENTIAL TRACE METALS AND TOTAL POLYPHENOLS IN PEPPER (Capsicum annuum) GROWN IN HIGHLAND AND LOWLAND AREAS OF FOGERA DISTRICT, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The concentrations of trace (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Ni) metals were determined in red and green pepper from highland and lowland areas of Fogera district using flame atomic absorption spectrometry after wet digestion. The metal concentrations in the highland and lowland red and green peppers samples, respectively, were found to be Fe: 557.8±94.359, 548.9±81.5 and 597.8±44.4, 271.1±78.1, Zn: 19.5±9.9, 39.1±3.3 and 42.7±3.9, 45.5±11.7, Cu: 11.8±0.7, 15.3±0.1and 19.4±1.8, 23.1±3.5, Mn: 406.4±64.08, 477.8±77.23 and 28.4±1.2, 21.8±3.8, Ni: 38.9±9.6, 52.2±27.1and 150±83.3, 111.1±53.6 in mg/kg, respectively. The levels of Ni in lowland red and green peppers and Fe in highland red and green peppers and in lowland red peppers were above the WHO limit. The level of total polyphenols was determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometer using Folin-Ciocalteau method. The level of total polyphenols in highland and lowland red and green peppers samples, respectively, were found to be1.172±0.509, 0.976±0.360, 0.755±0.056 and 0.799±0.388mgGAE/g of dry weight. These values were comparable to the values in other studies