To determine aluminum and zinc levels in black tea cultivated in north of Iran, 105 black tea samples were collected from the tea growing regions of Guilan and Mazandaran provinces and were analyzed for Al and Zn concentration of tea infusion. Contents of all elements were analyzed three times separately by using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP - AES). The solubility of Al and Zn in infusions at 5, 15 and 60 min with boiling water showed that the mean level of Al in the third infusion was the highest (262.09 mg/kg) and in the first infusion was the lowest (169.40 mg/kg). The mean level of Zn in the third infusion was the highest (51.40 mg/kg) and in the second infusion was the lowest (48.33 mg/kg). The analysis of results also showed that the location factor influences the contents of these metals at different infusions.
Keywords: Aluminum; Black tea; Iran; Zinc.