ABSTRACT: The correct assessment of the presence of potentially contaminating elements in soil, as well as in fruits cultivated and harvested from the same places has major importance for both the environment and human health. To address this task, in the case of the Republic of Moldova where the fruit production has a significant contribution to the gross domestic product, the mass fractions of 37 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Si, K, Mn, Fe, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Th, and U) were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis in soil collected from four Moldavian orchards. In the case of three types of fruits, grapes, apples, and plums, all of them collected from the same places, only 22 elements (Na, Mg, Cl, K,
