Variation of Arsenic and Selenium Contents in Infusion of Black Tea Growing at Several Localities

Abstract

Contents of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in 129 black tea infusion samples were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The 129 samples consisted of Ceylon tea (n=53) , Assam tea (n=38) and Darjeeling tea (n=38). Significant (p<0.001) differences in contents of the both two elements among Assam tea (As, 1.15 ± 0.61ppb ; Se , 2.20 ± 0.80ppb),Ceylon tea (As, 0.37 ± 0.15ppb ; Se, 1.03 ± 0.32ppb) and Darjeeling tea (As, 0.76 ± 0.24ppb; Se, 1.69 ± 0.51ppb) were observed. Effect of piece size of tea leaf on the contents of As and Se in the infusion samples was insignificant. These results indicate that the original place of black tea is probably identified by As and/or Se contents in the infusion.