Abstract
Oilseeds from five native plant species with edible potential from the Brazilian Caatinga semi-arid region (Diplopterys pubipetala, Barnebya harleyi, Croton adamantinus, Hippocratea volubilis, and Couroupita guianensis) were investigated regarding their mineral contents. The minerals, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Cr, Al, were analyzed by high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry (HR–CS AAS) and P by the vanadomolybdophosphoric acid colorimetric method. K, Mg, and P were the main elements found (1.62–3.7 mg/g, 362–586 µg/g, and 224–499 µg/g dry weight (dw), respectively). B. harley seeds contained the highest amounts of K and P, while C. guianensis seeds were the richest in Mg. Fe was the most abundant oligoelement (2.3–25.6 µg/g dw). Cr contents were below the limit of quantification for all samples and Al amounts were low: 0.04–1.80 µg/g dw. A linear discriminant analysis clearly differentiated B. harleyi and C. guianensis samples from the remaining ones. In sum, these oilseeds from the Brazilian Caatinga semi-arid region seem to have the potential to be used as natural sources of minerals, mainly K.
Highlights
The plant species that grow in the arid and semi-arid land regions of the world have attracted considerable attention in recent years
The aim of this work was, to analyze the mineral profile of oilseeds from five native species of this region using high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry (HR–CS AAS), in order to evaluate their edible potential as a source of minerals
C. adamantinus is used in the treatment of wounds, due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties
Summary
The plant species that grow in the arid and semi-arid land regions of the world have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Only a few of the species of this semi-arid region are exploited for industrial purposes [2]. The rural populations living in this area use many of these plants for food, fuel, timber, medicines, and livestock feed. These products contribute to income generation and offer an alternative source of livelihood when crops fail under the erratic and low rainfall conditions. Human intervention over the years, such as deforestation, livestock pasture, and cropping, has contributed to the loss of vegetation cover and biodiversity, and extensive soil degradation in this biome [3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
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