Trace Element Analysis of Some Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Species by ICP-MS

Abstract

In this study, analysis of trace elements (Al, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Sn, Hg, Pb) of taxa, such as Alkanna trichophila Hub.-Mor. var. trichophila, Anchusa azurea Mill. var. azurea ( Boraginaceae ), Achillea biebersteinii Afan., Centaurea iberica Trev. ex Sprengel (Asteraceae), Ajuga vestita Boiss.(Endemic), Teucrium polium L. ( Lamiaceae ) by ICP-MS technique, collected in Çermik district of Turkey's Diyarbakır province and used for folk or medicinal purposes, was conducted quantitatively and qualitatively using the ICP-MS technique. As a result of the analysis, Sn, Hg, Pb elements in all six plant taxa could not be determined since they were below the lod value. It is essential for consumers that these three toxic elements are not specified in plant species. The highest concentration was determined in element Al (26.04-193.5 mg/kg). With this study, some metal characterisations and concentrations of medicinal plants were determined.