Search for Toxic Trace Elements in Rosa rugosa Thunb. By Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis: Accumulation and Responses to Exposure

Abstract

Species of the genus Rosa L. are widely used in urban gardening, and they are of considerable interest as plants accumulating heavy metals in an urban environment. Literature data are ambiguous about whether these species accumulate trace and toxic elements. Its fruits are used as medicinal raw materials in folk and official medicine. The purpose of the study is to determine whether this type of wild rose accumulates toxic metals (as well as various macro- and microelements), if so, which ones and in which organs, and to what extent raw materials of the plant can be used. For the first time, multi-element instrumental neutron activation analysis at the reactor IBR-2 of FLNP JINR in Dubna, Russia, was applied to examine accumulation of major and trace elements in various organs of Rosa rugosa Thunb. (Rosaceae family), namely, roots, leaves, fruits and seeds. A total of 33 elements (Al, Ca, Cl, I, Mg, Mn, V, As, Br, K, La, Na, Mo, Sm, U, W, Ba, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, Ni, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Yb, and Zn) were determined. Samples were taken in the summer-autumn period of 2020, both in the city of St. Petersburg and on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Russia. This research found no critical accumulation of trace and toxic elements in different organs of R. rugose, but revealed quite high accumulation of Fe and Co in urban transport highway area.