Migration of iron, lead, cadmium and tin from tinplate-coated cans into chickpeas

Migration studies of trace metals were carried out on coated chickpea cans marketed in Lebanon. Four elements--(Fe), tin (Sn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd)--were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) after microwave digestion. Over 3 months, three different storage temperatures (5°C, room temperature and 40°C) were tested. In all cases, the migration of Fe reached a plateau after around 50 days of storage, while the migration of Pb was slow till 50 days, then it increased rapidly. Cd and Sn levels did not increase. Moreover, no effect of temperature was observed in the case of Fe, whereas Pb levels showed slower migration in cans stored at 5°C. Comparing cans from different chickpea brands (Lebanese and foreign) showed that the characteristics of the container have an effect on metal release.