The trace element contents of seven kinds of herbal plants and spice samples retailed in local markets in Kayseri-Turkey were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after digestion with HNO(3)/H(2)O(2) mixture. The concentration ranges for the studied elements were found as 6.0-15.2, 0-32.2, 80.0-324.8, 8.1-386.3, and 13.1-36.2 μg/g for copper, nickel, iron, manganese, and zinc, respectively. The levels of cobalt, lead, and chromium ions in all the investigated samples were found to be below the detection limit of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results found in the present work were compared with values in the literature.

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Organically produced, harvested, and dried fruit samples bought at organic markets in Kayseri, Turkey have been analyzed for their trace element contents. In the determinations, flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) was used. This pilot study is the first to be performed for organically produced, harvested, and dried fruit samples from Kayseri, Turkey. The copper, iron, manganese, and zinc concentrations were found to be 1.6-15.5, 10.3-144, 23.0-211, and 23.3-91.6 μg/g, respectively. The cobalt, lead, cadmium, chromium, and nickel concentrations in all analyzed organic fruit samples were below the quantification limits of FAAS. SRM 1570A spinach leaves and SRM 1515 apple leaves were used to check the accuracy of the procedure. The results for the dried fruit samples found in this work were compared with the values from some studies from the world. The results found in the presented work may also be useful for future studies about organically produced, harvested, and dried fruit samples.