HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN FLUE CURED AND AIR CURED TOBACCOS FROM MAIN PRODUCTION AREAS IN SERBIA

The aim of this work was to examine the influence of growing conditions on heavy metal content in virginia (flue cured) and burley (air cured) tobacco type. Moreover, some of these metals could appear in the tobacco cigarette smoke. This fact may cause negative consequences for cigarette consumers. Examinations were carried out in five various production areas, for each tobacco type, during two years, 1998 and 1999; those were extreme years for production. Considering the results, it can be concluded: The most important factor for heavy metal content in tobacco leaves are weather conditions, especially the amount of rainfall, since there is a direct correlation between the rainfall and size of roots, a dominant vegetation organ. It is inevitable that the metals content in flue cured and air cured tobaccos, grown at different experimental lots, is still below the legally prescribed values. Tobacco leaves from �abac production area have a little higher metal content than tobacco grown in other production areas, because a larger amount of copper was found. The metal content in plants can increase because of its absorption from soil, atmosphere, or mineral fertilizers and pesticides, and, what is very important, the content of metals can be high due to the vicinity of large industrial centers.