Tools and Materials

The tools used in this research are the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (PG InstrumentsnAA500),
analytical balance (ADAM PW-254), sample containers, knives, ovens, blenders, measuring flasks,
beakers, Erlenmeyer, measuring pipettes, stirring rods, bath electricity. Meanwhile, the materials used
in this study were samples of kale, HNO3 (Merck), aquades, and pure standard solutions for iron.

The work procedure carried out in this study begins by weighing 2 grams of stems and leaves of kale that
have been oven and mashed, in the already known weight of erlenmeyer. Then 10 mL of HNO3 p.a.
added to each of these erlenmeyers and leave for ± 24 hours, after which the sample is heated to a
temperature of 100 oC until yellow vapor is not visible and the solution becomes clear. Next, measure
the extract from heating as much as 1 mL diluted with water to a volume of exactly 50 mL and shake it
until it is homogeneous and the results of the dilution are analyzed using AAS.

Data analysis

Based on the measurement results obtained using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, the data
obtained can be calculated using the equation (Sahara, 2009):

M=Volume penetapan sampel (mL) x Konsentrasi larutan sampel (mg/L) / Berat kering sampel (g)

The determination of iron content is carried out by various methods of analysis, among others with the
atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) method. The SSA method is used because this method is
very appropriate for the analysis of substances with low concentrations with sufficiently high accuracy,
to be able to use this method first the digestion stage is carried out. According to Raimon (1993)
destruction is a treatment to dissolve or change a sample into a measurable form of material so that the
elements in it can be analyzed. The digestion that is commonly used to determine the mineral
components present in foodstuffs is wet destruction and dry destruction, wet digestion is carried out by
adding certain acid reagents either single or mixed into the material to be analyzed (Margono, 2009).
Solvents that can be used for wet digestion include nitric acid (HNO3), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), perchloric
acid (HClO4) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). there has been completely dissolved or the organic compounds
overhaul has gone well, while dry digestion is carried out by ashing the sample at a certain heating
temperature (Raimon, 1993). However, in this study, wet digestion is used, because according to Dewi
(2012) in general, alkaline digestion can be used to determine elements with low concentrations, and
according to Raimon (1993) wet digestion is better than dry digestion, because not much material is lost.
with a very high ashing temperature, besides that it works easier and saves little money.
At this stage of digestion, the sample is first dried in an oven with the aim of removing the moisture
content in the sample to be analyzed, then the sample to be analyzed is mashed using a blender. Then
the sample to be analyzed is added with the HNO3 solution as a digestion, because theoretically HNO3 is
a strong oxidizer and can accelerate the oxidation reaction and can accelerate the digestion process
(Margono, 2009). HNO3 solution can dissolve or destroy metals in the sample because nitric acid can
stabilize the metals to be analyzed (Fitriani et al., 2012). After that the solution is left overnight in order
to dissolve and break organic bonds, then the solution is heated to help speed up the process of
dissolving or breaking organic bonds. After that the sample was diluted and the results of the dilution
were analyzed using AAS. After analyzing and calculating, the iron content of the kale stem samples was
obtained