Minor Element Concentrations Research Articles

Exogenous Easily Extractable Glomalin-Related Soil Protein Stimulates Plant Growth by Regulating Tonoplast Intrinsic Protein Expression in Lemon.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have the function of promoting water absorption for the host plant, whereas the role of easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), an N-linked glycoprotein secreted by AMF hyphae and spores, is unexplored for citrus plants. In this study, the effects on plant growth performance, root system characteristics, and leaf water status, along with the changes of mineral element content and relative expressions of tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) genes in lemon (Citrus limon L.) seedlings, were investigated under varying strengths of exogenous EE-GRSP application under potted conditions. The results showed that 1/2, 3/4, and full-strength exogenous EE-GRSP significantly promoted plant growth performance, as well as increased the biomass and root system architecture traits including root surface area, volume, taproot length, and lateral root numbers of lemon seedlings. The four different strengths of exogenous GRSP displayed differential effects on mineral element content: notably increased the content of phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) in both leaves and roots, as well as magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) content in the roots, but dramatically decreased the content of calcium (Ca) and manganese (Mn) in the roots, as well as Zn and Mn in the leaves. Exogenous EE-GRSP improved leaf water status, manifesting as decreases in leaf water potential, which was associated with the upregulated expressions of tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), including ClTIP1;1, ClTIP1;2, ClTIP1;3, ClTIP2;1, ClTIP2;2, ClTIP4;1, and ClTIP5;1 both in leaves and roots, and TIPs expressions exhibited diverse responses to EE-GRSP application. It was concluded that exogenous EE-GRSP exhibited differential responses on plant growth performance, which was related to its strength, and the effects were associated with nutrient concentration and root morphology, especially in the improvement in water status related to TIPs expressions. Therefore, EE-GRSP can be used as a biological promoter in plant cultivation, especially in citrus.

The Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Growth, Diarrhea, Antioxidant Capacity, and Immune Function in Holstein Dairy Calves.

The current study examined the effects of supplementary zinc proteinate (ZnPro) and zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, diarrhea, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and mineral element concentrations of calves aged 1 to 28 days. A total of twenty-four newborn calves were divided randomly into 3 groups (n = 8; 2 males and 6 females per group), and each received: 0 mg/d Zn (CON), 627 mg/d ZnPro (80 mg/d Zn; ZnPro group), and 101 mg/d ZnO (80 mg/d Zn; ZnO group). The calves received the additive in their milk during the first 28 days of life. Compared with the CON group: ZnPro and ZnO improved average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the feed:gain ratio (FGR) between days 1 and 14 (p < 0.05), while the ADG increased and FGR decreased only in the ZnPro group between days 1 and 28 (p < 0.05). The incidence of diarrhea decreased (p < 0.05) in the ZnPro and ZnO groups between days 15 and 28 as well as days 1 and 28, but decreased (p < 0.05) only in the ZnPro group between days 1 and 14. The serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of the ZnPro and ZnO groups increased on days 14 and 28 (p < 0.05). ZnPro supplementation increased serum IgM concentration during the whole study, while ZnO enhanced serum IgM concentration only on day 14 (p < 0.05). In the ZnO group, the serum concentration of cytokines interleukin (IL)-10 increased on day 14, while that of IL-1β increased on day 28 (p < 0.05). In addition, ZnPro reduced the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration on days 14 and 28 (p < 0.05). Both ZnPro and ZnO increased the serum concentrations of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and metallothionein (MT) on day 14 (p < 0.05). With zinc supplementation, plasma Zn concentration increased (p < 0.05) on days 14 and 28 of age. We concluded that supplementary ZnPro and ZnO reduced incidences of diarrhea and promoted the immune function, but ZnPro improved the growth performance and antioxidant capacity of Holstein dairy calves to a greater extent.

Improving the Chemical Content and Mineral Elements of Drought Stressed (Moringa Oleifera L.) by Application of Glutathione and Bio-Fertilizer

The experiment was carried out in pots with a capacity of 28 kg in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering - College of Agriculture - the University of Karbala in order to know the extent of the effect of glutathione and biofertilizer and to determine the best concentration of these treatments in reducing the harmful effect of water stress in terms of the content of enzyme antioxidants and active substances and determine The best irrigation level for this plant without harming the plant and determining the best concentration of glutathione and biofertilizer in reducing the harmful effects of water stress on the Moringa plant, as the study included three factors: glutathione with three concentrations (0, 100, 200) mg. L-1 and biofertilizer (Algacell) at two levels (0 and 10) mg. L-1 and water stress have three field capacity levels (60%, 50%, and 40%). The experiment was carried out using Dunkin’s multinomial test at a probability level of 0.05. The data were analyzed according to the statistical program (SAS 2003), where the results showed that there is a significant effect of glutathione on Most botanical characteristics and mineral element content. Glutathione is an antioxidant that plays a role in plant growth, cell division, and elongation, which protects cells. Water stress affects the dissolution of nutrients and their transfer from soil to plants. The more a plant is exposed to water stress, the more leaves will drop due to the increased ABA concentration. Moreover, the root was longer. Where water stress leads to an increase in the levels of ROS within the plant cells, which stimulates the plant to resist and remove the effect of these free radicals. Moringa is a plant gaining much attention due to its many benefits is a drought-tolerant crop, great for areas lacking water, that can grow in drought-prone regions. It is also a plant that can be used in many different ways, including food, medicine, environmental restoration, and textile products.

Geochemical diversity and tectonic relationships in monogenetic volcanic fields: A case study of the Sredinny Range, Kamchatka

We report, here, the composition and KAr ages of a representative collection of volcanic rocks that erupted within three monogenetic volcanic fields in the active fault zone of the Sredinny Range of Kamchatka: Tigilsky Dol, Mount Oxi massif and Anaunsky Dol. The studied rocks display a wide range of compositions (medium-K, moderate-Mg, high-K, high-Ti and high-Mg basalts, and high-LREE picrobasalts); the high-Mg varieties are confined to faults. Five main periods of volcanic activity were investigated, 4.3–3, 2, 1.5, 1 Ma and from 0.3 to <0.05 Ma. Primitive lavas first emerged on the surface at 3.5 Ma. There was a massive outpouring of high-Mg lavas at 1.5–1 and 0.3 Ma, which could have been related to the formation of the fault zone. This is the first report of rocks in Kamchatka with a high-LREE picrobasaltic composition (1.5 Ma). The Fo content of the olivine phenocrysts reaches 93.2 mol%, which is the highest value known for Quaternary Kamchatka basalts. A very heterogeneous source, even for individual eruptions is indicated by the minor element contents in the olivine (Ni, Mn and Ca); Cr-spinel – olivine paragenesis show that all the rocks studied crystallized in the same temperature range (1111–1292 °C), whereas the oxygen fugacity for the different samples varied from ΔQFM +0.7 to +2.0 log. units. A melt inclusion study showed that the Mg basalts of the Mt. Oxi massif and the high-LREE picrobasalts of Tigilsky Dol had different fluid sources that were enriched and depleted in water and Cl, respectively. We argue that the fluid source for the Mt. Oxi massif was likely the remains of the Pacific slab under the Sredinny Range, whereas, for the high-LREE picrobasalts of Tigilsky Dol, it was the lithospheric lithologies. The low content of S and high content of Cu in the oxidized high-LREE basalts provide additional evidence that they originated from the re-melting of sulfur-poor lithospheric lithologies. Both the fault zone and the lithosphere re-activation in the region are likely linked to the regional stress field.

Metallic Bhasmas: A Review on Chemical Characterization, Particle Size and Toxicity

Bhasmas are unique metallic-herbal preparations of Indian origin, widely recommended for the treatment of chronic ailments. These intriguing formulations of metals are associated with organic macromolecules derived from the medicinal herbs. Bhasmas are often prepared by repeated incineration of metals with herbs and its extracts by alchemic processes and are taken along with honey, milk, butter, or ghee. Besides primary constituent of metals, bhasmas also contain other metals as minor constituent or in traces. Commercially available seventeen bhasmas based on Ca, Fe, Zn, Hg, Cu, As, Ag and Sn were characterized by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for up to 20 elements. The technique involves irradiation of the sample with thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor followed by assay of gamma activity by high-resolution gamma ray spectrometry. Concentrations of major, minor, and trace elements vary in a wide range even in bhasmas of the same primary element depending on its preparation method. C, H, and S were also found in significant amounts suggesting the possible presence of organic macromolecules that may act as ligands. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies have shown that the bhasmas as available in the market are not really nano particles contrary to claims of some literature reports. Westerners think bhasmas to be highly toxic especially those of As, Hg, and Pb, highly toxic elements. Still bhaasms of these elements are widely recommended. Clinical evidences suggest that the bhasmas taken in small doses are highly beneficial to the body system and do not cause any adverse effects. It is essential to follow quality control in the preparation of bhasmas. A review of our earlier work is also presented.

Effects of essential mineral elements deficiency and supplementation on serum mineral elements concentration and biochemical parameters in grazing Mongolian sheep.

Traditional sheep grazing is the pillar industry and the main source of income for local herders in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. However, grazing sheep often suffer from mineral deficiency. In the present study, the feeding experiment was performed on 84 grazing Wu Ranke sheep. After being divided into calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and selenium (Se) treatment groups, they were fed with a mineral deficient diet for 60 days and then a mineral supplement diet for 41 days. Serum samples were collected three times, 10 concentrations of essential mineral elements and 15 concentrations/activity of biochemical parameters were measured to assess the effects of mineral deficiency and supplementation on the physical health of sheep. The results revealed that the sheep showed mineral Ca, Cu, Co, Mn, and Se deficiencies after feeding their respective mineral deficient diet. Deficiency in dietary Ca, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, and Se may adversely affect the liver, myocardium and pancreas of sheep. The prompt supplementation of dietary Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, and Se may alleviate the damage caused to the liver, myocardium and pancreas, while that of dietary Ca improved energy generation. In conclusion, the adequate supplementation of dietary Ca, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, and Se is essential for avoiding the impairment caused to the liver, myocardium and pancreas function of sheep by the deficiency in essential dietary minerals.

Analysis of the content of mineral elements in connective tissues in patients with bisphosphonate osteonecrosis

BACKGROUND: The presence of a large number of pathological studies and a significant amount of literature on high bone density in patients with bisphosphonate osteonecrosis determined the conduct of this study.&#x0D; AIM. To monitor micro- and macronutrients in patients with bisphosphonate osteonecrosis of the jaws, to detail their role in the pathological process.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS. In 184 patients with bisphosphonate necrosis, after sequestrectomy, the micro- and macronutrient composition of bone fragments removed from the lesion was analyzed.&#x0D; RESULTS. Deviations from reference values were found in such elements as sulfur (S2-), chlorine (Cl-), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), phosphorus (P3+). The dynamics of micro and macro elements correlated with the clinical picture of the pathological process under study and the number of sessions or courses of adjuvant therapy.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS. It is assumed that violations of cascade physiological reactions that develop as a result of violations of the mineral composition in the connective tissue are due to the pharmacokinetic properties of bisphosphonate preparations. The study of a number of micro and macro elements is predetermined by their role in the life and functional activity of amino acids, enzymatic systems, importance in the structure of cells and tissues.&#x0D; Keywords&#x0D; Bisphosphonate-Associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, micro and macro elements, sequestrations, bone fragments.

Variation in essential mineral element and toxic trace element concentrations in the seeds of Sri Lankan rice varieties as affected by milling and soil fertility

Concentration of mineral elements in rice seeds may vary depending on the soil fertility status and seed polishing (milling). In order to test this, 54 rice varieties were grown in the fields used to cultivate rice either with or without applying fertilizers for over 40 years. Part of the seeds collected from those varieties was polished before using for element analyses using ICP-MS while the rest considered as unpolished seeds. When comparing unpolished rice seeds produced at fertilized and unfertilized sites, the concentrations of Mg, Ca, K, Mn, Co, Cu, As and Cd were decreased, and the concentrations of Na, Al, Fe, Zn, and Mo were unchanged from fertilized to unfertilized sites. When comparing unpolished and polished rice seeds produced at fertilized and unfertilized sites, seed Mg, K, Mn, Fe, Co and Zn concentrations were higher in unpolished seeds than those in polished seeds, and the concentrations of Na, Al, Mo, Cd, As and Pb were similar between polished and unpolished seeds. Estimated values revealed that rice contributed 4–15% of the daily requirement of Fe, Cu, Zn, and 50–60% Mo irrespective of the soil fertility and polishing. Seed concentrations of As, Pb and Cd were lower than the maximum allowable levels. However, rice consumption contributed to the daily intake of 4–8 µg as, 2–6.5 µg Cd, and 19–25 µg Pb. Improving soil fertility is required to enrich rice seeds with most of the micronutrients and the milling should be done with much care to minimize nutrient loss in human diet.

A data screening approach to confirming a target mineral is chlorite using EPMA and LA‐ICPMS data

AbstractApplying machine learning techniques to large datasets of in situ analyses has been proven to be a powerful tool in Earth Sciences. However, problems may arise when dealing with minerals such as chlorite, that exist as a solid solution rather than a single, stoichiometric ideal. It can be difficult to determine whether the variations in major element concentrations are due to compositional difference in the mineral of interest or due to sampling of the surrounding mineral phases in addition to the mineral of interest during the analyses. If the latter, interpretations of the results would be complicated, misled or even spurious. Here we present a method to identify chlorite based on the major and minor element content, from both LA‐ICPMS and EPMA data. Further we present a dataset of 3,317 analyses of chlorite and have shown that 7.4% of these analyses include significant quantities of non‐chlorite material.

Extreme low-temperature events can alleviate micronutrient deficiencies while increasing potential health risks from heavy metals in rice

Despite global warming, extreme low-temperature stress (LTS) events pose a significant threat to rice production (especially in East Asia) that can significantly impact micronutrient and heavy metal elements in rice. With two billion people worldwide facing micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) and widespread heavy metal pollution in rice, understanding these impacts is crucial. We conducted detailed extreme LTS experiments with two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (Huaidao 5 and Nanjing 46) grown under four temperature levels (from 21/27 °C to 6/12 °C) and three LTS durations (three, six, and nine days). We observed significant interaction effects for LTS at different growth stages, durations and temperature levels on the contents and accumulation of mineral elements. The contents of most mineral elements (such Fe, Zn, As, Cu, and Cd) increased significantly under severe LTS at flowering, but decreased under LTS at the grain-filling stage. The accumulations of all mineral elements decreased at the three growth stages under LTS due to decreased grain weight. The contents and accumulation of mineral elements were more sensitive to LTS at the peak flowering stage than at the other two stages. Furthermore, the contents of most mineral elements in Nanjing 46 show larger variation under LTS compared to Huaidao 5. Accumulated cold degree days (ACDD, °C·d) were found to be suitable for quantifying the effects of LTS on the relative contents and accumulations of mineral elements. LTS at the flowering stage will help alleviate MNDs, but may also increase potential health risks from heavy metals. These results provide valuable insights for evaluating future climate change impacts on rice grain quality and potential health risks from heavy metals.

Minor and Toxic Element Content in Edible Mushrooms

Minor and toxic elements in edible mushrooms are cultivated in residential areas of Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. Minor elements are zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and toxic elements such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd). Metals will be dangerous if they enter the body's metabolism in amounts that exceed the specified threshold.The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of minor elements and toxic elements in consumption mushrooms. This research was conducted to analyze minor and toxic metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The samples used in this study were mushrooms that are usually consumed by the public, namely, Pleurotus osteratus and Auricularia auricula-judae. The research method used is descriptive quantitative, namely to determine the levels of minor metal elements and toxic metal levels of consumption mushrooms. The results showed the highest minor levels of Zn in Pleurotus osteratus were 131.34 mg/kg and Auricularia auricula-judae mushrooms were 74.5 mg/kg. Toxic levels of Cd in Pleurotus osteratus are 0.547 mg/kg. While the levels of Cu and Pb in the analysis results are still within the maximum limit. The levels of Zn and Cd in each sample exceeded the maximum limit according to the Decree of the Directorate General of POM No. 03725/B/SK/VII/89 and the Indonesian National Standard SNI 7387:2009.

Biochemical composition of zoned apple varieties growing in different agrocenoses

The study of variability in the chemical composition of fruits under the influence of external factors is important both in terms of adaptation processes of fruit plants and for practical purposes. In this research, we aimed to carry out a comparative analysis of the biochemical composition of apples of such zoned varieties, as Ekrannoe (autumn ripening), Blagaya Vest’ and Krasa Sverdlovska (winter ripening). The trees were growing in different agrocenoses: in a horticultural research station (conventional extensive cultivation) and in a farm (intensive cultivation). For all the studied apple varieties, the content of insoluble nutrients (1.4–1.6 g/100 g), as well as the level of flavonoids (0.4%) and titratable acidity (1.5–1.7%) for winter fruits, were characterized by the lowest variability among other indicators. These indicators, therefore, can be considered species-specific. The level of polyphenols and antioxidant activity of winter apples can be considered variety-specific indicators for Blagaya Vest’ (0.52–0.53 mmol/l gallic acid equivalent; 71.2–75.9%) and Krasa Sverdlovska (0.65 mmol/l gallic acid equivalent; 89.7–90.1%), respectively. In all apple varieties, the contents of organic acids, vitamin C, dry matter, sugars and mineral elements showed the greatest dependence on growing conditions. In winter varieties, this list also included the sugar/acid ratio. In terms of biochemical composition, autumn-ripening apples proved to be more responsive to changes in external environmental factors.

The Improvement of the Composition of Sweet Dough Products through the Use of Coconut Flour

The purpose of the research was to study the usability of coconut flour in Easter cake recipes to improve consumer properties and increase nutritional value. It has been established that the replacement of 10% of wheat raw materials with coconut flour and a decrease in the amount of margarine by 28% in Easter cake recipes allow us to obtain products with good consumer properties, increased content of mineral elements – selenium (by 58.3%), iron (by 13.3%), magnesium (by 9.1%), copper (by 5.5%) and coarse fibers (by 6.6%), and a reduced amount of gluten and trans fatty acid isomers.

The Effect of Biochar Applications at Different Doses on Soybean Seedlings Grown in Salty Conditions

In this research, the effects of biochar application at different doses on the mineral element content of soybean seedlings under salt stress were investigated under greenhouse circumstances. In the study, leaf and root some mineral contents were investigated. According to the data obtained from the study, it was stated that while the leaf and root plant nutrient content of soybean seedlings decreased in salty conditions in general, the applied biochar increased the leaf and root plant nutrient content. This positive effect of biochar treatments on enhancing mineral element content was dose dependent. In conclude, biochar can be used as an amendment for increasing plant nutrient use efficiency of plants under saline conditions.

Moderate application of nitrogen augments the growth of Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan 406’ plants in coastal soils

In plants, nitrogen (N) is known to affect photosynthesis and induces resistance to abiotic stresses by influencing physiological processes. In this study, we investigated the influence of low (50 kg ha−1), moderate (150 kg N ha−1) and high (250 kg ha−1) N application on the physiology, photosynthesis and mineral element contents of Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan 406’ (T. 406) plants grown with salt stress (low, moderate and severe) or without (non-saline control, CK). T. 406 plants showed poor growth and gradually died under severe salt stress (EC=12.3 dS·m−1). The biomass of T. 406 plants was reduced by 44.3%, on average, in low salt (EC=1.99 dS·m−1) treatment compared with plants grown in control conditions. Moderate N application conspicuously improved photosynthesis and growth of plants in the low-salt treatment group, thus alleviating the adverse effects of salt stress compared with low and high N application treatments. The results showed that moderate N increased the contents of N and cations in T. 406 plants, leading to an increased efficiency of photosynthetic N use. These findings indicated that excessive N fertilization did not promote N uptake in reclaimed soils and that moderate N application may be used as a potential tool for the alleviation of salt stress in T. 406 plants in coastal soils.

Insights into the secondary glass production in Roman Aquileia: A preliminary study

A set of 29 glass shards, selected from numerous ones recovered in 2017 in Aquileia (NE Italy), was studied to provide evidence of local glass production for that specific area in antiquity. These shards can be dated between the 1st and the 4th century AD. The chemical composition of glass samples was obtained using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) that enables to quantify the concentration of major, minor, and trace elements needed to investigate provenance and compositional groups and sometimes to suggest a chronological frame of the samples. To ensure that the samples are homogeneous enough to perform accurate quantification, some of them were also analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Most of the chunks, working wastes, and artefact shards considered in this work exhibited similarities among them in terms of composition, which likely indicates that glass working activities were practised at the site of recovery. The analyses demonstrated the presence of both recycled glass and primary glass. Interestingly, the compositional data of raw primary glass point to both Syro-Palestinian and Egyptian regions as sourcing areas, confirming the role of the Roman city of Aquileia as a network node for the trade of goods. In addition, some particularly coloured glass fragments showed a composition typical of glass produced starting from the 1st or 2nd century AD, requiring specific types of furnaces and procedures for its manufacture, and suggesting the possibility of local highly-specialised production. The preliminary results of this work strengthen the hypothesis that Aquileia was a thriving centre, either for working primary glass or for glass recycling and production of objects with particular colours.

Metal Mobility in Embryonic-to-Proto-Ni-Laterite Profiles from Non-Tropical Climates

We evaluated the mobility of a wide suite of economic metals (Ni, Co, REE, Sc, PGE) in Ni-laterites with different maturities, developed in the unconventional humid/hyper-humid Mediterranean climate. An embryonic Ni-laterite was identified at Los Reales in southern Spain, where a saprolite profile of ~1.5 m thick was formed at the expense of peridotites of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. In contrast, a more mature laterite was reported from Camán in south-central Chile, where the thicker (~7 m) weathering profile contains well-developed lower and upper oxide horizons. This comparative study reveals that both embryonic and mature laterites can form outside the typical (sub)-tropical climate conditions expected for lateritic soils, while demonstrating a similar chemical evolution in terms of major (MgO, Fe2O3, and Al2O3), minor (Ni, Mn, Co, Ti, Cr), and trace (REE, Y, Sc, PGE, Au) element concentrations. We show that, even in the earliest stages of laterization, the metal remobilization from primary minerals can already result in uneconomic concentration values.

Amino acids, fatty acids and mineral elements composition of Roystonea regia and Ptychosperma macarthurii palm kernels

Roystonea regia and Ptychosperma macarthurii are exotic palm species widely grown in Nigeria as ornamentals. The kernels of R. regia and P. macarthurii were subjected to amino acids, fatty acids, and mineral elements analyses in this study. Glutamic acid (13. 64 and 14.00 g/100 g), aspartic acid (9.72 and 9.50 g/100 g), arginine (8.68 and 7.49 g/100 g), and leucine (7.23 and 7.98 g/100 g) were the dominant amino acids in R. regia and P. macarthurii seeds. The percentage yields of kernel oils were 13.9 and 1.7% for R. regia and P. macarthurii, respectively. Gas chromatograph facilitated the identification of thirteen fatty acids, mainly comprised of oleic acid (25.19 and 35.64%), linoleic acid (57.88 and 45.60%), and palmitic acid (9.6 and 10.03%) in R. regia and P. macarthurii, respectively. The analysis also revealed the high unsaturated nature of fixed oils of R. regia (83.63%) and P. macarthurii kernels (81.66%). Calcuim, copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and potassium were also detected in the kernels; majorly, calcium (71.5 mg/L) and magnesium (23.1 mg/L) in P. macarthurii kernels, whereas sodium (24.6 ppm) and potassium levels (50.1 ppm) were higher in R. regia kernels. These results reveal the high amino acids, fatty acids, and mineral elements content of R. regia and P. macarthurii kernels. These unexploited palm fruits could be properly utilized as animal feed, edible oil, or for other industrial purposes with the knowledge of its nutritional value and fixed oil content.

The sinks of rare earth elements in peloids from hydrothermal, estuarine, coastal, and saline formation environments from Cuba

This study investigated the main inorganic sinks of rare earth elements (REEs) in six peloid samples from four geological environments (hydrothermal, estuarine, coastal, and saline). We collected samples from each environment and determined pH, electrical conductivity, redox potential, temperature, elemental concentrations (major, minor, and REEs), mineralogy, and REE speciation. Additionally, principal component, hierarchical cluster, and multivariate analyses were used to investigate any relationship between REEs and phyllosilicates, iron, manganese, aluminum, and inorganic and organic carbon. Results showed that peloids from hydrothermal and estuarine environments presented the highest concentrations of minor elements and REEs (up to 109.78 mg/kg) with mineralogy dominated by quartz (31.6 to 92.4%) and phyllosilicates (49.3%). In contrast, coastal and saline peloids presented low concentrations of minor elements and REEs (up to 6.47 mg/kg) with mineralogy dominated by calcite (up to 74.6%), aragonite (up to 25.8%), and evaporitic minerals. Positive relationships were found between REE concentrations and the percentages of phyllosilicates (r = 0.978) and iron concentration (r = 0.986), which were supported by the operational speciation that showed that REEs were mainly associated with the residual and reducible fractions in hydrothermal and estuarine peloids. In coastal and saline peloids, the lower concentrations of REEs were attributed to their distribution on the reducible and oxidable fractions, from which they can mobilize. The results from this study revealed the inorganic sinks of REEs in peloids from hydrothermal, estuarine, coastal, and saline environments.

A comparative study of the mineral elements in different medicinal plant parts of Daphne altaica Pall.

Daphne altaica Pall. is an important plant in traditional Chinese medicine. Mineral elements play an important role in the formation of active ingredients in medicinal plants. In this study, 14 mineral elements were quantitatively determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry using the roots, stems and leaves of D. altaica. The distribution variance of mineral elements between different organs were analyzed by statistical analysis methods such as single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster heat map. The results show that the mineral element contents in corresponding parts of D. altaica exhibited significant variation, with the order from highest to lowest being K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Al > Mn > Na > Zn > Sr > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Mo. Among them, the highest content of mineral elements are K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu and Mo in leaves, and the stems contains more Zn, Sr, Cr and Ni, while the content of mineral elements Fe, Al, Na and Pb in roots is much higher than the other two organs. The ANOVA revealed significant variations in the mineral element content across different regions of D. altaica (p < 0.05). Based on single factor analysis of variance, different parts of D. altaica had different fingerprint of mineral elements, and the concentration of the same mineral elements in different parts had significant difference (p < 0.05). The principal component analysis (PCA) model showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of first two principal components was 99.10%, in which Mn, Mg and Ca have higher load values, which is consistent with the results of bi-plot and cluster analysis. These results indicated that there were great differences in absorption and utilization of mineral nutrient elements between roots, stems and leaves of D. altaica, and there was significant correlation among mineral elements, indicating that there was a complex synergistic and antagonistic effect among the elements. At the same time, the discriminant analysis of the characteristic elements provided a scientific basis for the quality control of D. altaica.