Neutron activation analysis of sea-, lake-, and evaporated salt

Salt is essential for human nutrition. Recently, it has become popular in Europe to rather use exotic sea salt or lake salt instead of purified evaporated salt, because of an alleged higher content of trace elements. In this study the content of trace elements and their bioavailability of 19 samples of different types of salt and 1 sample of brine purification sludge were investigated using instrumental neutron activation analysis. In general, sea-, lake-, and evaporated salt are quite pure. Trace elements determined in salt were Al, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Rb, Sc, Sr, and Zn; some of them only in individual cases. It was found that, in general, the content of trace elements in sea- or lake salt was higher than in purified salt. Nevertheless, the use of sea- or lake salt does not contribute significantly to the human needs of essential trace elements, because their concentration in salt is too low or their compounds are not bioavailable.