Elemental Characterization of Romanian Crop Medicinal Plants by Neutron Activation Analysis

Table 2

Concentration of the elements in representative medicinal plants as obtained by NAA: the values are means (mg·kg⁻¹) and the corresponding relative standard deviations, RSD (%.

Plant	Coriander		Dill		Echinacea		Lavender		Chamomile		Mint		Plantain
Al	31.47	5.5	155.44	4.1	48.48	5.2	4996.71	3.6	334.88	3.9	975.55	3.7	2261.33	3.6
As	<0.10	—	<0.09	—	<0.08	—	1.16	10.9	<0.41	—	<0.12	—	0.42	39.6
Au	<0.00	—	<0.01	—	<0.00	—	<0.00	—	0.04	11.9	<0.01	—	<0.00	—
Ba	<6.9	—	15.18	69.5	<7.74	—	51.45	21.7	<8.16	—	47.65	13.3	75.12	11.9
Br	19.47	3.6	37.15	3.6	2.87	4.1	8.84	3.9	21.73	3.7	20.08	3.7	62.48	3.6
Ca	6787.58	5.5	18830.62	4.5	7990.88	5.3	13113.55	4.4	9944.35	5.7	16295.94	4.7	15807.76	4.9
Ce	<0.41	—	<0.31	—	<0.25	—	6.07	5.7	<0.43	—	1.81	10.3	4.97	5.4
Cl	553.02	4.2	5747.27	3.7	3897.67	4	996.93	4	8210.21	3.8	3731.17	3.8	4080.99	3.8
Co	0.04	31.7	0.16	6.9	0.13	11.6	1.3	4.4	0.1	13.6	1.82	4	0.8	4.3
Cr	<0.35	—	0.45	37.4	0.77	17.7	11.36	5.4	0.66	36	4.94	6.2	5.11	6.4
Cs	<0.02	—	0.03	30.6	<0.02	—	0.73	5.8	0.07	19.8	0.11	13.4	0.27	7.8
Cu	16.5	22.8	<24.81	—	<15.35	—	<31.62	—	23.36	45.5	23.3	41.6	28.9	48
Eu	0.08	5	0.59	3.7	<0.00	—	0.11	5.6	0.04	10.9	0.03	10.6	0.09	5.3
Fe	48.32	12.1	134.6	7.1	52.25	12.8	3315	3.8	239.1	8.1	498.2	9.3	1409	5.1
Ga	<0.36	—	<1.62	—	<0.36	—	1.66	40.9	<2.65	—	<1.36	—	<1.92	—
K	15840	3.7	18370	3.7	21740	3.6	26450	5.4	28330	3.7	18270	3.7	26670	3.7
La	<0.02	—	0.09	46.1	0.03	26.7	2.81	4	0.31	22.2	0.8	7.2	2.3	4.3
Mg	3203.3	4.1	3842.72	4.5	1785.74	4.8	4001.01	4.6	3243.33	4.8	7298.65	4.3	3941.71	4.7
Mn	29.41	3.9	38.85	3.9	5.66	5.5	90.53	3.7	117.25	3.7	113.43	3.7	86.56	3.8
Na	62.29	5.1	1330	5.6	26.39	4.7	653.1	6.2	2875	5.8	1649	6.1	1853	5.6
Rb	8.7	7.7	20.39	5.8	5.55	11.4	15.34	10.3	29.56	5.9	22.97	6	30.25	5.4
S	<4050	—	<6745	—	<4258	—	<7565	—	<6883	—	8866	39.5	9645	50.3
Sb	<0.03	—	<0.10	—	<0.02	—	0.15	18.9	<0.04	—	<0.04	—	0.06	41.3
Sc	0.01	11.3	0.03	4.9	0.01	9.2	1.22	3.7	0.07	4.5	0.17	4	0.57	3.7
Sm	<0.01	—	<0.01	—	<0.01	—	0.52	4.6	0.04	33.4	0.13	8.6	0.41	4.5
Sr	34.28	19.6	174.9	6	31.25	18.5	39.7	34	26.65	34.3	88.61	10.9	73.57	14.3
Tb	<0.01	—	<0.01	—	<0.01	—	0.08	15.2	<0.01	—	<0.01	—	0.05	12.6
Th	<0.03	—	<0.03	—	<0.02	—	0.96	5.4	0.07	29.6	0.26	8.1	0.67	5.1
V	<0.08	—	0.23	47.3	<0.07	—	7.73	5.1	0.61	28.6	1.24	14.4	3.47	8.3
Yb	<0.07	—	<0.05	—	<0.04	—	0.25	13.6	<0.07	—	<0.04	—	0.18	12.9
Zn	55.31	4.2	32.21	4.6	8.81	8.1	39.32	5.4	38.73	5	39.97	4.7	38.45	4.5

: resulting from evaluation of the quantity of the element using several energy peaks from the gamma ray spectrum of the respective element (Kayzero [21]); RSD% calculated from uncertainty: see Section 2.2; < under the limit of detection (specified as a value).