Occurrence of Heavy Metals, Radioactivity, and Pesticide Residues in Raw Materials of Elderberry and Other Herbs and Fruits in Slovak Republic

摘要

One of the most important and complex contemporary environmental problems is pollution of air, soil and water by xenobiotics. Both inorganic (e.g., heavy metals) and organic (e.g., pesticide residues) pollutants can affect ecosystem and human health.The worst catastrophe in civil use of nuclear energy was in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986. The radioactivity from this disaster continues to effect soils and vegetation in the Slovak Republic. The quality, efficacy, and health benefits of medicinal plantsand small fruits, including black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) are directly affected by xenobiotics in their production environment. For foods, it is very important to determine the hazard values for domestic and foreign consumption, and to compare contaminant levels with regulations and standards; for example, those approved by the Slovak Ministry of Health Service. Environmental risks (contents of heavy metals, pesticide residues and radioactivity) in regard to production and collection of several medicinal plants and small fruits from the Slovak Republic were determined by analytical methods. Contents of heavy metals, pesticide residues, and radioactivity levels in all samples tested in this study were determined to be within legal and safe limits for the Slovak Republic and EU.