FEATURES OF MICROELEMENTS ACCUMULATION IN RUBUS CHAMAEMORUS L.

One of the main tasks of modern resource science is to study potential plants that are used in folk medicine and daily life, but are not included in official pharmacopoeia lists. The features of accumulation and distribution of microelements (Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, As, Co, Cd and Hg) in Rubus chamaemorus growing in various types of marsh communities in the South Baikal region were studied. The content of microelements was determined by the atomic absorption method using the AAnalyst 400 PerkinElmer spectrophotometer after microwave decomposition of plant materials. In accordance with absolute values, both in aboveground and underground organs, microelements form the following row: Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>Co>Cd>As>Hg. It was found that the acropetal distribution type in plants is characteristic for Fe, Cu, Cr, Pb, As and Hg, whereas the basipetal distribution type is predominantly characteristic for Mn, Zn, Co and Cd. Low level of intra- and interpopulation variability of microelement concentrations in R. chamaemorus plants was observed. On the basis of accumulation coefficients, elements with strong accumulation by plants from the soil were identified – Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd (Mn, Co in leaves and stems), as well as elements with weak accumulation – Fe, Pb, As and Hg. The berries of R. chamaemorus can be recommended as an additional source of Mn, Cr and Co for the prevention of microelementoses in various categories of the population.