Principal Components and Cluster Analysis of Trace Elements in Buckwheat Flour

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Essential trace elements are vital for human health, with deficiencies posing significant health risks.
• Buckwheat is recognized for its nutritional value, but detailed trace element profiles are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify essential trace metal elements in buckwheat flour.
• To analyze the distribution characteristics of these elements using statistical methods.
• To assess buckwheat flour's potential as a dietary source of specific trace elements.

Main Methods:

• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for elemental quantification.
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) for elemental quantification.
• Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• Identified and quantified Ca, Fe, Cu, Mg, Zn, Se, Mo, Mn, and Cd in buckwheat flour samples.
• PCA revealed four key factors explaining 73.64% of the data variance, highlighting Cu, Mg, Mo, and Cd as characteristic elements.
• Cluster analysis successfully differentiated buckwheat samples into two groups, indicating potential for authenticity assessment.

Conclusions:

• Buckwheat flour is a valuable source of essential trace metal elements, particularly magnesium (Mg) and molybdenum (Mo).
• The study provides a robust method for analyzing trace elements in buckwheat flour, aiding in quality control and nutritional assessment.