Seven elements, namely, arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, iron and manganese were determined in 31 samples of Serbian plum brandies by application of atomic spectrometry techniques. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used for the quantification of copper, iron, zinc, manganese, lead and cadmium, and hydride generation atomic spectrometry absorption for arsenic quantification. The measured concentrations of the heavy metals and arsenic were assessed according to Serbian regulations, official regulations of some other countries and in respect to the content of microelements in other similar distilled alcoholic beverages. The amounts of microelements in the maximal recommended daily and weekly intake of plum brandy were determined. The influence of production (home made or industrial), type of wooden barrel (oak or mulberry), and duration of ageing process on the content of Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn in plum brandies, as well as the coefficient of correlation between the Cu content and pH value were also studied.

Sedam elemenata: arsen, olovo, kadmijum, bakar, cink, gvožđe i mangan su određivani u 31 uzorku srpskih rakija šljivovica primenom tehnike atomske apsorpcione spektrometrije. Plamena atomska apsorpciona spektrometrija je korišćena za kvantifikaciju bakra, gvožđa, cinka, olova, mangana i kadmijuma, a hidridna tehnika atomske apsorpcione spektrometrije za kvantifikaciju arsena. Izmerena koncentracija teških metala i arsena je u skladu sa propisima Republike Srbije, zvaničnim propisima nekih drugih zemalja i drugim sličnim jakim alkoholnim pićima. Količina mikroelemenata u maksimalnom dnevnom i nedeljnom unosu rakije šljivovice je određena. Uticaj proizvodnje (domaća i industijska), vrste drvenih buradi (hrast i dud), trajanje procesa sazrevanja na sadržaj cinka, bakra, gvožđa i mangana u šljivovicama, kao i koeficijent korelacije između sadržaja bakra i pH je takođe ispitivan.