Multivariate optimization of microwave digestion for determining of some elements in baobab (A. digitata L.) fruit pulp by ICP-MS

A method of measuring a plurality of chemical elements in a baobab fruit pulp, the method comprising:

• obtaining pulp from a baobab fruit;
• crushing and homogenizing the baobab fruit pulp to obtain a homogenized baobab fruit pulp;
• sieving the homogenized baobab fruit pulp to obtain baobab fruit fine powder;
• preparing a plurality of acid mixtures, wherein the plurality of acid mixtures comprise acid mixtures that consist of only nitric acid and acid mixtures that consist of nitric acid and one or more of water and hydrogen peroxide;
• adding the baobab fruit fine powder to each of the prepared plurality of acid mixtures to obtain a plurality of solutions;
• heating each of the plurality of solutions in an oven cavity of a microwave to digest the baobab fruit fine powder in each of the plurality of solutions to obtain a digested baobab fruit fine powder in each of the plurality of solutions;
• cooling the plurality of solutions;
• filtering the digested baobab fruit fine powder from each of the plurality of solutions to obtain a plurality of filtered digested baobab fruit fine powders;
• diluting each of the plurality of filtered digested baobab fruit fine powders with water to obtain a plurality of mixtures;
• and
• measuring the plurality of chemical elements in each of the plurality of mixtures to obtain an optimized mixture for digestion of baobab fruit fine powder using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), wherein the plurality of chemical elements are selected from the group consisting of sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, calcium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper, selenium, barium, and combinations thereof.