Lead and cadmium in beverages consumed in Finland.

The lead and cadmium contents of carbonated beverages, juices, beers and wines were determined by ETAAS using Zeeman background correction, peak height mode and the method of standard additions for quantitation. Other beverages were digested in conc. HNO3, but wines were diluted with 10% HNO3. The lead contents of beverages were negligible. The mean Pb content of juices was 9 micrograms/kg, 2 micrograms/kg in carbonated beverages, < 1 microgram/kg in mineral water and 3 and 4 micrograms/kg in domestic and imported beers. The mean lead content was 16 micrograms/l in domestic miscellaneous wines, 33 micrograms/l in imported white wines, 9 micrograms/l in domestic red wines and 34 micrograms/l in imported red wines. The cadmium contents in all beverages were < 1 microgram/kg, except for domestic red wine made from raspberry, which contained 2 micrograms/l. Beverages contribute only a negligible amount of lead and cadmium to the average Finnish diet. However, as the total lead intake is low in Finland, about 12 micrograms/day, the share of beverages is rather high, about a fifth of the total intake.