engleski

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a possible indicator of wartime contamination in Eastern Croatia (ICP-MS method)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaves are traditionally used in the diet and as a medical remedy (tee, herbal drops, tinctures, etc.), so, from the food safety point of view, it is important to know the concentrations of potentially toxic elements contained in them. Dandelion is known for its beta-carotene, beta- sitosterol, lutein, caffeic acid, saponin, stigmasterol, and p-coumaric acid content. For these reasons, the concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sr, Se U, V, and Zn were determined in dandelion leaf samples collected at 28 sites in eastern Croatia. The maximum concentrations of the analyzed elements were higher, but not significantly, in the areas of high intensity combat activities (HICA). The mean LICA (low intensity combat activity) and HICA concentrations of As (85.2 and 127.7 µg kg- 1), Cd (30.10 and 76.10 µg kg-1), Hg (2.8 and 0.4 µg kg-1), and Pb (173.6 and 230.1 µg kg-1) were below those fixed by the Croatian Ministry of Environment. Though the results can be considered good in general, there is still a presence of war associated elements, such as Cd (max=970 µg kg-1), Sb (max= 106 µg kg-1), and Pb (max= 1980 µg kg-1), in isolated areas - environmental “ hot spots”, such as the HICA location Hrastin.

dandelion ; toxic elements ; war ; Croatia ; ICP-MS

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