Ecological and hygienic studies of the aerial part of wormwood of the bitter synanthropic flora of Central Russia

Central Russia is traditionally the most important area of crop production and agriculture. The purpose of this study was the ecological and hygienic study of the accumulation of heavy metals and arsenic, as well as biologically active substances in the aboveground part of bitter wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.), harvested in urbocenoses of Central Russia. Under the conditions of the experiment, more than 50 samples of the aboveground part of bitter wormwood prepared in the territories of the Voronezh region, which are different in terms of anthropogenic impact, from a typical region of central Russia, were analyzed for the content of heavy metals and arsenic, as well as flavonoids, extractive substances and essential oils. The presence of physiological barriers that prevent the accumulation of an excess of a number of toxic elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, cobalt, nickel, chromium) in the plant was revealed. The aerial part of the wormwood is bitter with significant accumulated quantities of copper and zinc. The peculiarities of accumulation of heavy metals should be taken into account when planning places for harvesting bitter wormwood and assessing the quality of raw materials. It was revealed that the accumulation of bitter flavonoids and extractive substances extracted with 70% ethyl alcohol in the aerial part of wormwood is slightly influenced by the toxic elements determined; for all heavy metals and arsenic, a negative effect on the content of essential oils was noted.