Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer (한국토양비료학회지)

Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer (한국토양비료학회)
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Mercury Contents of Medicinal Plants and the Cultivated Soils in Korea

  • Kim, Won-Il (Chemical Safety Division, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA) ;
  • Go, Woo-Ri (Chemical Safety Division, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA) ;
  • Hong, Chang-Oh (Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University) ;
  • Kim, Kwon-Rae (Department of Agronomy and Medicinal Plant Resources, GNTECH)
  • Received : 2014.11.12
  • Accepted : 2014.11.20
  • Published : 2014.12.31
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Abstract

This study was conducted to identify transition characteristics of mercury in several selected medicinal plants and to find the appropriate management for production of safety food. Cultivated soils and medicinal plants were collected at 29 sites for Angelica gigas (Korean angelica root), 68 sites for Platycodon grandiflorum (Balloon flower), 35 sites for codonopsis lanceolata (Deoduck), 36 sites for Dioscorea batatas (Chinese yam), 32 sites for Rehmannia glutinosa (Foxglove), 16 sites for Cnidium officinale makino (cnidium), and 26 sites for Astragalus membranaceus (milk vetch root) during the harvest season of 2013. Mercury in the soils and medicinal roots were analyzed with a Direct Mercury Analyzer. Average content of mercury in soils cultivated medicinal plants was $0.023mg\;kg^{-1}$ (range: from 0.003 to $0.074mg\;kg^{-1}$) and average content of mercury in medicinal plants was $0.003mg\;kg^{-1}$ (range: from 0.001 to $0.011mg\;kg^{-1}$), indicating that mercury in the surveyed soils and medicinal plants were not exceeded the Korean regulation.

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References

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