title: Variation in heavy metals and microelements in South African medicinal plants obtained from street markets.
abstract: South African medicinal plants are traditionally harvested from a wide range of undisclosed locations by plant gatherers. Thus, there is a risk that plant material may be exposed to a variety of pollutants. The variation in five heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, and lead) and six essential elements (boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc) was determined in commonly used South African medicinal plants obtained from street markets. Elemental content was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry. The reliability of the procedure was ensured by analysing a certified reference material. Medicinal plant samples contained arsenic and cadmium at levels exceeding the World Health Organization limits of 1 and 0.3 mg kg(-1) respectively. Lead and nickel were detected in all samples. Elevated iron and manganese levels were recorded in certain plant species. Multiple metal contamination of parts of medicinal plants gives grounds for concern. This study emphasizes the unsafe consequences of the South African practice of collecting medicinal plants from undisclosed locations and making these readily available to the public.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville 3201, South Africa.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Street
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Stirk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Southway
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Staden
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D001895:Boron / Q000032:analysis; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000032:analysis; D003132:Commerce; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013019:South Africa; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003035:Cobalt; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic; D001895:Boron