Chemometric evaluation of inorganic and organic parameters found in plants proposed as food supplements.

This study discusses the organic and inorganic composition of young inflorescence tissues of seven medical plants from the , , and families. These plants contain bioactive compounds with antioxidant and cytotoxic properties, and the study determined 29 elements, including essential and potentially harmful ones, established correlations with inorganic and organic compounds, as well as antioxidative and cytotoxic effects. The elemental patterns show that the plants contribute beneficial essential elements to the human diet.

Preliminary Study of Pepper Types Based on Multielement Content Combined with Chemometrics.

Different types of pepper ( L.) and cayenne pepper ( L.) are widely used spices that exhibit therapeutic properties in addition to nutritional properties.

Multielement Determination in Turmeric ( L.) Using Different Digestion Methods.

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties of turmeric ( L.) derive from its rich nutritional composition making it interesting for medicinal uses, besides being used as spice in cooking. To complete the picture on the composition of turmeric, not only the organic compounds need to be known, but also the elemental composition covering essential and potentially toxic elements.

Influence of Soil Salinity on Selected Element Contents in Different Species.

Climate changes in coastal regions cause increased soil salinity, a well-known type of environmental stress for a high number of agricultural crop species, including Brassicaceae, whose growth and development, and consequently the crop quality and yield, are affected by salinity stress. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of salt stress on micro- and macro-element homeostasis in different crops. Kale ( var.

Accumulation of Major, Minor and Trace Elements in Pine Needles () in Vienna (Austria).

Increasing heavy metal pollution in the environment and the fact that pine needles are good bio-monitors for air pollutants was the reason to investigate their accumulation in pine needles in Vienna (Austria). is widespread over the city, thus allowing the study of different parameters influencing metal accumulation. The sampling sites were chosen based on traffic volume (low, medium, high).

Geographic Differences in Element Accumulation in Needles of Aleppo Pines ( Mill.) Grown in Mediterranean Region.

Pine needles are widely used as bio-indicators due to their worldwide distribution and the ease of sample collection. In contrast to deciduous trees, conifers offer the possibility of monitoring long-term exposure through older needles. Miller is a pine species native to the Mediterranean region, which has been used for restoration activities in arid and semiarid areas leading to vast spatial expansion.

Mineral Composition of Elements in Walnuts and Walnut Oils.

Walnuts () are considered to be a functional food. In the present study, twenty one macro-, micro-, and trace elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, and Zn) were selected to be determined in walnuts and walnut oils. The beneficial content of essential elements could be shown by the obtained results, the macro-elements Ca, K, Mg, and Na being present in nuts with 1062 mg/kg, 2771 mg/kg, 1426 mg/kg, and 42.

Harmful Elements (Al, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) in Wild Berries and Fruits Collected in Croatia.

Fruits and vegetables are considered a beneficial contribution to the human diet. Especially, berries contain a great deal of bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins, organic acids, tannins, phenols, and antioxidants. Apart from organic substances, inorganic nutrients are also present in fruits.

Influence of F hybridization on the metal uptake behaviour of pine trees (Pinus nigra x Pinus thunbergiana; Pinus thunbergiana x Pinus nigra).

Pine needles have been considered to be useful bio-indicators for air pollution. This phenomenon can be used for environmental studies for monitoring purposes. Additionally, this fact offers the possibility to study uptake and accumulation behaviour not only in different species, but also in hybrids obtained from common pine trees to inheritage processes.

Inorganic Macro- and Micronutrients in "Superberries" Black Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) and Related Teas.

Black chokeberries () are considered to be functional food containing high amounts of anthocyanins, phenols, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Whereas organic compounds are well studied, there is little research on the mineral composition of the chokeberries. Thus, the presented study is focused on the determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in black chokeberry fruits and infusions to study the metals' extractability.

Study of the Accumulation of Toxic and Essential Ultra-Trace Elements in Fruits of Sorbus domestica L.

In the present work, the accumulation of selected toxic and essential ultra-trace elements in fruits of service tree ( L.) were determined depending on harvest time. Samples were collected from the same sampling area in two different years and within one year in September and October (maturity state).

Characterisation of L. Bark, Fruits and Seeds: Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Activity.

The aim of this work is to assess the nutritional value of service tree ( L.) bark, fruit exocarp and mesocarp, and seeds by establishing the levels of macro- and microelements, total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins. Our results revealed that all of the tested service tree samples were rich in potassium.

Metal characterization of white hawthorn organs and infusions.

Hawthorn is one of the most commonly used European and North American phytopharmaceuticals. Because there is no information on metals in seeds, and only rare data for leaves and flowers, the aim of the present study was elemental analysis of the white hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after digestion in a microwave-assisted system. The limits of detection are below 2 μg/g for ICP-AES and 0.

Influence of soil composition on the major, minor and trace metal content of Velebit biomedical plants.

The use of medical herbs for the treatment of many human diseases is increasing nowadays due to their mild features and low side effects. Not only for their healing properties, but also for their nutritive value supplementation of diet with various herbs is recommended. Thus also their analysis is of rising importance.

Elemental characterisation of the medical plant Alchemilla velebitica.

Alchemilla, commonly called "lady's mantle", is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the family Rosaceae. The species Alchemilla velebitica is found only in Southern Europe, like in the Croatian National Park Northern Velebit. Its benefits, such as a astringent and emmenagogue activity as well as wound healing are correlated to the organic compounds found in the plant, but also certain trace elements are known to reduce skin lesions, such as zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, silicon and lithium.

Formulating blackberry leaf mixtures for preparation of infusions with plant derived sources of sweeteners.

Herbal mixtures composed of blackberry leaf and natural sweeteners (dried apples, prunes, figs, raisins, apricots, carrot and sweet potato, stevia leaves and liquorice root) were developed. Their nutritive and bioactive profile, biological activity and sensory properties were determined. Formulated mixtures exhibited lower total polyphenol content (259.

Copper and zinc fractionation in apple orchard soil in the village of Bukevje (Croatia) using the revised four-step BCR extraction procedure.

The aim of this study was to establish the fractionation of copper and zinc in a small apple orchard using the revised (four-step) Bureau Communautaire de Référence (BCR) sequential extraction procedure and assess their potential mobility in soil. Soil samples were collected at the depth of 10 cm to 25 cm, sixteen from the orchard and five control samples from a meadow located some 200 m away from the orchard. As the distribution of trace-element concentrations in the control samples was normal, they were used for comparison as background levels.

ICP-AES determination of minor- and major elements in apples after microwave assisted digestion.

The aim of this paper was to determine the content of minor and major elements in apples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Prior to ICP-AES measurement, dried apples were digested in a microwave assisted digestion system. The differences in the measured element concentrations after application of open and closed microwave system as sample preparation procedures are discussed.

The determination of the extractability of selected elements from agricultural soil.

Concentrations of Ag, Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn-isolated by sequential extraction steps from apple orchard soil-were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and compared to the total amount of metal in soil determined by XRF. The extractable amount of each metal was calculated by the extraction yields of the four steps. The LODs of the different elements in all extracts ware below 3 μg/L except for Ba (steps 1 and 2), Cu (step 1), Fe (all steps), K (steps 1-3), Mn (step 2), Na (steps 1-3), Ni (step 1), Pb (steps 1 and 4), and Zn (steps 1 and 2).

Determination of copper in clarified apple juices.

Inorganic copper compounds are not considered as synthetic fertilizers for apple trees as they are traditional fertilizers. Thus, they are used in organic farming for soil or foliar applications. The European Union is for health reasons interested in reducing copper in apple orchards.