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Survey of Heavy Metal Pollution in Four Chinese Crude Drugs and Their Cultivated Soils

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Abstract

A two-year survey on the residues of heavy metals in four Chinese crude drugs and their cultivated soils was conducted. Targeted heavy metals were copper (Cu), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd). Herbs surveyed include White Peony Root (Radix Paeoniae Alba), Turmeric Root Tuber (Radix Curcumae), Thunberg Fritillary Bulb (Bulbus Fritillariae Thumbergii), and Tuber of Dwarf Lilyturf (Radix Ophiopogonis). Concentrations of all heavy metals were under the permitted levels except cadmium, which exceeded the permitted level in some samples of Thunberg Fritillary Bulb, White Peony Root, and Turmeric Root Tuber. Concentration coefficients were less than 1.0 for all heavy metals except cadmium. The concentration coefficient of cadmium in Turmeric Root Tuber was 14.0. Lower pH and high Zn concentration in the soil may facilitate the transfer of cadmium from cultivated soil into the herbs.

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Acknowledgments

Authors will thank Dr. Prof. Pestemer, Dr. Matthias, Dr. Strumpf, Ms. Stendel and Ms. Vetter in Institute for Ecotoxicology in Plant Protection, Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Germany for their kind help in the analysis of samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Huajiachi Campus, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Jialun Wu, Yaohua Zou & Xiuping Zhan

  2. SFDA of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Shifei Chen, Guangzhao Lu & Fugen Lai

Authors
  1. Jialun Wu
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  2. Yaohua Zou
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  3. Xiuping Zhan
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  4. Shifei Chen
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  5. Guangzhao Lu
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  6. Fugen Lai
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Correspondence to Jialun Wu.

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Wu, J., Zou, Y., Zhan, X. et al. Survey of Heavy Metal Pollution in Four Chinese Crude Drugs and Their Cultivated Soils. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 81, 571–573 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9170-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9170-2

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