مجلة جامعة الزيتونة الدولية للنشر العلمي مجلة علمية، محكمة، شهرية، مفتوحة الوصول
Abstract
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important fruit crop in arid regions, yet information on the elemental composition of locally produced dates in central Libya remains limited. This exploratory study determined the concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in three date palm cultivar samples (Degla, Taghyat, and Abel) collected from Al-Jufra Municipality, Libya. Samples were collected at the ripening stage in November 2024 and analysed using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Iron concentrations ranged from 1.120 to 1.410 mg/kg, while Cu concentrations ranged from 0.272 to 1.431 mg/kg. Lead was detected in all three samples at concentrations of 0.1386 mg/kg in Degla, 0.0469 mg/kg in Taghyat, and 0.0719 mg/kg in Abel. Cadmium was reported as below the instrumental sensitivity of the analytical method; however, a numerical detection or quantification limit was not available. Fe and Cu were interpreted as nutritionally relevant trace elements rather than food contaminants. Among the analysed samples, Degla showed the highest Pb concentration. Comparison with regulatory maximum levels requires confirmation of the concentration basis (fresh or dry weight) and the applicable commodity-specific regulatory category. Given the limited sampling and incomplete information on analytical quality-control parameters, the findings should be considered preliminary. Nevertheless, the observed variation in Pb concentrations among the analysed samples supports the need for broader, replicated monitoring of date fruits from Al-Jufra, together with validated analytical quality-control procedures, to better characterize trace-element occurrence and potential food-safety concerns.
Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera L.; date fruit; trace elements; lead; cadmium; food safety; atomic absorption spectrometry
BY:
محمد منصور الجائر¹، ميلاد موسى عكاشة²، فاطمة محمد علي¹
Mohamed Mansour Al-Jaer¹, Milad Mousa Okasha², Fatima Mohamed Ali¹
¹ قسم الكيمياء، كلية العلوم، جامعة الجفرة، ليبيا.
² قسم الغذاء والتغذية، كلية علوم الأغذية، جامعة وادي الشاطئ، ليبيا.
