Determination of macro, micro nutrient and trace element concentrations inIndian medicinal and vegetable leaves using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Leafy samples often used as medicine in the Indian Ayurvedic system and veg etables were analyzed for 20 elements (As, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cr, Cs, Co, Eu, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Th, Zn) by employing Instrumental Neutro n Activation Analysis (INAA). The samples were irradiated at the 100 kW TRI GA-MAINZ nuclear reactor and the induced activities were counted by gamma r ay spectrometry using an efficiency calibrated high resolution High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The concentration of the elements in the medicin al and vegetable leaves and their biological effects on human beings are di scussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.