Quality Characteristics of Karst Plateau Tea (Niaowang) in Southwest China and Their Relationship with Trace Elements

This study investigated the relationship between the characteristics of quality components and trace elements of Niaowang tea from Guizhou Province in mountainous plateau areas. The contents of catechin monomers and eight other trace elements were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The results showed that the tender summer leaves of Niaowang tea in Guizhou Province had the highest content of catechins at 3558.15~2226.52 μg·g^-1. The content of ester catechins was the highest in summer, amounting to 69.75~72.42% of the total catechins. The content of non-ester catechins was the highest in autumn, reaching 52.54~62.28% of the total catechins; among ester catechins, the mass fraction of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) showed a pattern of mature summer leaves > tender summer leaves > mature autumn leaves > tender autumn leaves, and the mass fractions of gallocatechin gallate (GCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG) were larger in autumn than in summer; gallocatechin (GC) had no significant correlation with different trace elements, and Mn had no significant correlations with different catechin monomers. EGCG was significantly negatively correlated with As, Se, Hg, Pb, Ni, and Zn. Additionally, gallic acid (GA) was significantly negatively correlated with As, Hg and Ni. Other catechin monomers were largely significantly positively correlated with trace elements. The biochemical indicators of the phenotype of Niaowang tea show that the summer and autumn buds are suited for making high-quality green tea.