EDXRF analysis of red and white wines from Brazil

Several wines produced in different regions in southern Brazil and commercially available in Rio de Janeiro were analyzed for their contents of elements such as V, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo and Pb. Multielement analysis was carried out with simple sample preparation and subsequent analysis by EDXRF spectrometry. The liquid residue was pre‐concentrated with the use of a chelating agent (ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate) and filtered through a Millipore filter (0.45 µm) by a vacuum pump. The experimental setup is based on a low‐power (2.25 W) miniaturized x‐ray tube and an Si(Li) detector. The levels of the various elements in the Brazilian wines are lower than those generally found in the literature, with the exception of Mo. The present study indicates the capability of multielement analysis for determining the contents of various elements present in wines by using a simple, sensitive and precise method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.