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Effects of different drying processes on the concentrations of metals and metalloids in plant materials

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Abstract

The drying process of fresh plant materials may affect the porous structure, dehydration and a number of quality characteristics of these materials. Therefore, this study has investigated the effect of different drying processes on the variation of metal and metalloid concentrations in the dried plant materials. Seven varieties of native plant species collected from São Domingos mine were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to investigate the effects of freeze-drying (FD), ambient air-drying (AAD) and oven-drying (OD) process on the concentrations of metals and metalloids in the plant biomass. Comparison of ambient air-dried, oven-dried and freeze-dried preparations allows a phenomenological description of the dehydration artefacts. In the quantitative analysis of metals and metalloids, FD and OD plant samples show the higher concentrations of metals and metalloids when compared to those in the AAD plant biomass. The freeze-drying process is comparatively reliable for determination of metals and metalloids concentrations in plant materials.

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Acknowledgments

This research work was supported by the Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) through research contract PTDC/AMB/65462/2006—HYPERAS. The principal author (H.M.A) thanks FCT for his post-doctoral grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, URSN, Apartado 21, E.N. 10, 2686-953, Sacavém, Portugal

    Hossain M. Anawar, N. Canha & M. C. Freitas

  2. Department of Environmental Geochemistry, IRNASA-CSIC, Aptdo 257, Salamanca, Spain

    I. Santa Regina & A. Garcia-Sanchez

Authors
  1. Hossain M. Anawar
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  2. N. Canha
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  3. M. C. Freitas
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  4. I. Santa Regina
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  5. A. Garcia-Sanchez
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Correspondence to Hossain M. Anawar.

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Anawar, H.M., Canha, N., Freitas, M.C. et al. Effects of different drying processes on the concentrations of metals and metalloids in plant materials. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 289, 29–34 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-011-1051-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-011-1051-9

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