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Study on Trace Elements Concentration in Medicinal Plants Using EDXRF Technique

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Abstract

Ten medicinal plants used as ingredients of folklore and Ayurvedic medicine belonging to the Malnad Kerala region of South India, were analysed for concentrations of trace elements Fe, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb using the Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The soil from the root area of these medicinal plants was also analysed, and the soil to plant transfer factor (TF) of the elements was estimated. Iron (Fe) recorded higher concentration than the other trace elements estimated in the medicinal plants, followed by manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). The mean TF was found to be highest for Zn. Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng recorded the maximum value of TF for Zn. Most of the essential elements were found to be present in Centella asiatica (L.) Urban and indicated its medicinal importance. The data obtained in the present investigation may add up to the trace elemental database of medicinal plants in the world.

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Acknowledgements

The first author is grateful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, for awarding a fellowship under its Faculty Development Programme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, St. Philomena College, Puttur, 574 202, India

    Chandrashekara Kulal

  2. Environment and Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, 603 102, Kalpakkam, India

    Ranjib Kumar Padhi, Kanagasabapathy Venkatraj & Kamala Kantha Satpathy

  3. University Science and Instrumentation Centre, Mangalore University, Mngalagangotri, 574 199, India

    Somashekarappa Hiriyuru Mallaya

Authors
  1. Chandrashekara Kulal
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  2. Ranjib Kumar Padhi
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  3. Kanagasabapathy Venkatraj
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  4. Kamala Kantha Satpathy
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  5. Somashekarappa Hiriyuru Mallaya
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Correspondence to Chandrashekara Kulal.

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Kulal, C., Padhi, R.K., Venkatraj, K. et al. Study on Trace Elements Concentration in Medicinal Plants Using EDXRF Technique. Biol Trace Elem Res 198, 293–302 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02037-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02037-7

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