ABSTRACT.
The aim of the study was to study the content of toxic elements (Pb, Cd, As and Hg) and essential elements (Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn) in wheat flour and bran. Wheat grain samples from the Orenburg region show the features
of accumulation of toxic and essential trace elements in certain parts of the grain. The cadmium content in flour varies
from 0.093 to 0.114 mg/kg, in bran – from 0.108 to 0.137 mg/kg. The lead content in flour varied from 0.075 to 0.121
mg/kg, in bran – from 0.21 to 0.88 mg/kg. The concentration of iron in bran is higher (from 12.43 to 240.46 mg / kg)
than in flour (from 6.74 to 20.07 mg / kg) by 2-10 times. The zinc concentration in flour (6,154 ± 0.313 mg/kg) is on
average 11 times lower than in bran.
KEYWORDS: heavy metals, cereals, grains, bran, wheat.