Determination of the content of micro and macro elements in laurel samples from the region of Herzegovina

Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) is an evergreen shrub or tree from the Lauraceae family. It is most commonly used as a spice. Laurel leaves contain essential oil, bitter substances and tannins. It has a very aromatic, slightly spicy, astringent and bitter taste. It is also often used as a preservative. However, in addition to having numerous advantages, the presence of heavy metals, even in low concentrations, can be toxic and cause numerous diseases. The aim of this work was to determine the content of micro- and macro- elements in laurel samples from the Herzegovina region. The content of metals in soil samples from which laurel was collected was also determined. The samples were prepared by wet digestion. The content of micro- and macro- elements was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). According to the results, calcium exhibited the highest concentration among the macroelements (9055.59±24.71 mg/kg), whereas sodium exhibited the lowest (259.96±1.25 mg/kg). The measured content of heavy metals is below the detection limit in laurel, and in soil samples it does not exceed the maximum allowed values.