engleski

Variability of macro- and trace elements content in winter savory

Easy to grow, winter savory (Saturea montana) makes an attractive border plant for any culinary herb garden. It is most often used as a culinary herb but it also has marked medicinal benefits, especially upon the whole digestive system. The concentration of minerals in the plant are very important because the shortage of indispensable elements affect vegetative and reproductive stage of life cycle and is a cause of typical changes in plant life. Also, minerals are important for the human organism because they are involved in many enzymes and physiological function. Since the adoption of ions in plant can be affected by environmental factors the investigation of minerals content in winter savory was carried out on samples grown under the various topographical conditions in Croatia. After microwave digestion the macro- and trace elements content were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Statistical analysis revealed that there are significant differences in the amount in all investigated minerals and depending on locality the variability within samples ranged for total ash content from 0.51 – 40.83%, macroelements Na 41.83 – 83.17 %, K 4.32 – 56.08 %, Ca 5.30 – 8.80 %, Mg 14.04. – 102.26 %, trace elements Fe 3.27 – 64.52 %, Zn 29.95 – 107.01 %, Cu 11.06 – 37.06 %, Mn 16.79 – 72.10 %, Al 16.82 – 118.02 %, Ni 14.56 – 113.34 %, B 13.71 – 59.89 %, Cr 31.73 – 108.36 % and Cd from 3.14 – 35.34 %. Revealed levels of toxic and potentially toxic elements (Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) were compared to valid Croatian Maximum Permissible Concentration (MPC) adjusted to EU regulations.

macro- and trace elements; variability; winter savory

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