Determination of Microelements in Balanophora involucrate Hook. f. by ICP-AES

In this paper, the contents of these elements including Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al, Cd, Pb, Ti and As were determined by ICP-AES technique, which elements originated from B. involucrate from different places. Detection limits ranged 0.0029 ug/ml-1 and 0.079 ug/ml-1, the relative standard deviations for all these elements were lower than 2%, and recovery rates ranged 94.8% and 105.8%. The results showed that there were rich elements in B. involucrate from different places; contents of Fe and Al were highest; contents of Mn, Zn, Cu and Ti were moderately high, and contents of As, Cd and Pb were lowest. Futhermore, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn were essential to peoples health, and Al, Cd, As, Pb and Ti had potentially physiologically toxic. Finally, concentrations of elements within B. involucrate from different places were different, which may have some relations with the environment where B.involucrate grew. As a result, the determining method which elements of B. involucrate. are determined by ICP-AES is rapid, accurate and convenient, and wild B. involucrate may contain toxic elements because of pollutional soil and environment, so B.involucrate cultivated artificially can effectively reduce harmful elements.