Nondestructive instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of Tecoma stans (L) Juss. Ex Kunth flower samples collected from different sites in Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Chemical and radiochemical studies have been carried out on flower samples of the plant Tecoma stans (L) Juss. Ex Kunth which is now increasingly cultivated all over Egypt because of its many useful properties. This plant is considered as an important source of many medicinal phytochemicals. The flower samples analyzed were collected from plants cultivated at different sites in some governorates in Egypt. Nondestructive instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique has been performed in order to determine the inorganic elemental contents of these flower samples. INAA has been carried out under chosen irradiation and decay time conditions. Thus, the irradiations have been for under short and long times. The analyzed elements were: Ag, Al, Au, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Th, Ti, U, V, Yb, and Zn. Some elements were major or minor elements whereas others were trace elements. 17 elements were found in all analyzed samples where others were only found in some samples. The determined concentrations of some of the analyzed elements were much higher than those found in soil or earth crust, which may indicate that these elements are important. Generally, plants have high tendency to concentrate elements from sites. On the other hand, some other elements are considered toxic, e.g. Ag, Br, Co, Cr, and Sb. Three certified slandered reference materials have been used to assure the accuracy and precision of the INAA technique; these are IAEA soil-7, IAEA 140/TM (seaweed) and IAEA-155 (whey).