Abstract
The selenium (Se) contents in seven conventional Edible Green Leaves (EGL) that consumed by Sri Lankans were determined using Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometric method (HGAAS). The EGLs that were grown in five districts under different climatic conditions in Sri Lanka were collected from Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Puttalam areas. The EGL that were subjected to current study are Centella asiatica ( Sin . Gotukola ), Alternanthra sessilis ( Sin . Mukunuwenna ), Basella alba ( Sin . Nivithi / Spinach ), Boerhavia diffusa ( Sin . Sarana ), Ipomoea aquatica ( Sin . Kankun ), Amaranthus spinosus ( Sin . Thampala ) and Hygrophila schulli ( Sin . Neeramulliya ). Soil samples corresponding to each EGL sample were also collected from Gampaha, Kandy and Anuradhapura districts in order identify a relationship between the Se content in plants and soils. Prior to the analysis EGL samples and corresponding soil samples were subjected to acid digestion with nitric acid. Se contents in the EGL were in the range of 31.2 – 103.2 μg kg -1 on dry weight basis. According to the results, Centella asiatica and Hygrophila schulli varieties showed relatively higher Se content, while Hygrophila schulli shown the highest value and the lowest was reported in Boerhavia diffusa . The Se content in corresponding soil samples were ranged from 96.4 to 133.9 μg kg -1 on dry weight basis. The Se content in soil was higher than that in plants, but there was no significant correlation between the Se content in soil and EGLs.
Highlights
Selenium is an essential micro-nutrient for both human and animals that specially incorporated as amino acids
No positive correlation between Se contents of plants and corresponding soils was recorded, the results revealed that soil Se contents were always significantly higher than that in plant samples
The present study reveals that the conventional edible green leaves consumed by Sri Lankans contain significant amount of selenium
Summary
Selenium is an essential micro-nutrient for both human and animals that specially incorporated as amino acids. It is an important trace element in human for good thyroid function and promotes immunity system (Hatfield, 2012). There are relatively many reports on Se content in food (Sunde et al, 2006), but limited studies carried out on the Se content in foods consumed by Sri Lankans; i.e.: studies done on rice (Mahagama, 2013, Prasanna 2014), vegetables and cereals (Bandara, 2012; Buwaneka, 2014; Prasanna, 2014). The Se content in meals consumed for lunch by Sri Lankans has been reported (Kiridena, 2017)
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