Determining the Mobility of some Essential Elements in Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by the Neutron Activation Analysis

Ehsan Taghizadeh Tousi

doi:10.21123/bsj.2022.19.2.0283

Abstract

The main purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the concentrations of six essential metals (Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+) in saffron and a farm soil using the neutron activation analysis (NAA) as a nuclear spectrometry method. The stratified random sampling method was used here. The NAA results showed the well uptake of Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+ in saffron, which is lower than the toxicity range. Based on the contamination factor and geoaccumulation index, soil contamination levels were determined uncontaminated by Zn, moderately contaminated by Na+ and Fe2+, and strongly contaminated by Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+. Results of the contamination degree and pollution load index indicated moderately/strongly soil contamination and a moderate geometric mean of the contamination index. The Na+ enrichment factor (EF) showed a minimal man-made impact on sodium enrichment. Saffron cultivation has likely caused more accumulations of Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, and Fe2+, as well as a considerable deficiency of Zn2+ in the soil, based on EFs. The biological concentration factor showed a significant zinc accumulation by the corm of saffron. There was well translocation from corm to all the aerial tissues for K+. Also, sodium adsorption ratio, exchangeable sodium percentage, pH, and electrical conductivity evaluated the non-salinity level of soil in all saffron farms.

Highlights

Saffron, Crocus sativus L., is a perennial herbaceous plant, which has been categorized as a monocot flowering and stemless herb in the Iridaceae family from Asparagales order that usually grows up to 35 cm
Acceptable relative standard deviation (RSD) values for results of neutron activation analysis have been recommended less than 10% in the fields of biomedical and biophysics by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 39
The great Khorasan region produces above 90% of produced saffron in Iran, which accounts for over

Summary

Introduction

Crocus sativus L., is a perennial herbaceous plant, which has been categorized as a monocot flowering and stemless herb in the Iridaceae family from Asparagales order that usually grows up to 35 cm. Saffron has been cultivated on more than 100,000 hectares of Iranian farms, producing about 340 tons of saffron annually. Iran produces over 90% of saffron worldwide 1. Saffron farms spread over 20 provinces of Iran, the great Khorasan region (including North, South, and Khorasan Razavi provinces) has produced above 90% of saffron in Iran 2. In the great Khorasan region, Torbat Heydarieh County plays a significant role in the production of saffron. Zaveh has been separated from Torbat Heydarieh County since 2008. Torbat Heydarieh (including Zaveh) is an exceptional area in the production of Iranian saffron 3

Methods

Results

Conclusion