A comparison of walnuts growing in Gumushane and Trabzon in terms of some nutrients, mineral element and heavy metal contents

In this study, mineral elements, heavy metals and some basic nutrient items of walnuts growing in Gümüşhane and Trabzon region were analyzed. The results were compared with each other and with some studies in the literature. The walnut samples were divided into five fractions in the form of inner wood crust, outer green crust, leaf, walnut and soil. Each fraction was analyzed separately. The analyzes of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co and Ag as heavy metals were carried out by using ICP-MS. Ash, protein, cellulose and oil determinations were also carried out by suitable techniques. Gümüşhane and Trabzon walnuts are similar to each other in terms of ash, protein and cellulose, and Trabzon walnut is slightly oily. P mineral was the highest in the walnut samples while the K mineral was highest in the outer green crust. The inner wood shells are quite poor in S mineral, while the Ca is high in the leaves. No trace of heavy metal content was found in any sample. When the results were compared with the literature, the amounts of Mg, S and Se were found to be higher than the literature. There was no statistically significant difference between the Ag contents of Gumuşhane and Trabzon walnut in Ag fractions in all fractions. At the end of this study, it was determined that both types of walnuts have high mineral contents in general according to the literature. Only the Ca element was found to be lower than the literature.