Determinação dos teores de nitrato em drogas vegetais comercializadas para uso em chás

Abstract

The inorganic nitrate may be present naturally in foods, especially those of vegetable origin, captured, stored or produced by the plant for use in a mobile economy. However, the inorganic nitrate has adverse effects related to a reduction in food itself or after intake, to nitrite and this, in turn, is the nitrosating agent which reacts with the food amines present, form the compounds N -nitrous, carcinogens. It is also considered to methemoglobin formation from the oxidation of the heme iron core nitrite, preventing transport of oxygen to body cells. Methemoglobinemia is of importance for the child population of less than 3 years old, as this age group both your hemoglobin is more prone to oxidation, as its reversal is compromised, leading the child to cytotoxic hypoxia. The spectrophotometric method employed was adapted Cataldo (1975), which is based on nitrification of salicylic acid by nitrate ions in an acid medium, creating a compound called 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzoic acid, and was validated in linearity parameters, accuracy, accuracy and limit of quantification..Samples were vegetable drug use in homemade infusions, popularly known as teas. The method was linear (R 2) = 0.9994, accurate, when used to lower concentrations (10 ug / ml), intermediate (120 ug / ml) and higher (300 mg / ml), with standard deviation 8.8%; 1.58% and 0.7% respectively for intra-assay values and 17.9%; 4.25% and 4.04%, respectively, for interassay values, and accurate, when used in the same concentrations accuracy test, with 81.3% accuracy values; 98.54% and 95.43%, respectively to 84.3% and interassay values; 98.19% to 100.79% respectively for intra-assay values. The nitrate concentration values found in the samples of processed teas of chamomile, boldo Chile, lemongrass, fennel and false fennel of three different brands ranged from 52 to 203ppm. It is estimated that the results will contribute to a better understanding of nitrate levels of these foods.