Accumulation of potassium-40 in medicinal plant raw materials of flora of Voronezh region

The problem of accumulation of radionuclides in medicinal plant raw materials is multifaceted and requires a deep understanding of the physicochemical and biological mechanisms underlying their migration in the soil-plant-drug system. Therefore, regional monitoring is needed to study the radioecological situation, including the analysis of not only man-made, but also natural radionuclides. Objective - to study the peculiarities of accumulation in plant resources of the flora of the Voronezh region of potassium-40. Materials and methods. A number of widespread species were selected for the study, including bird highlander grass (Polygonum aviculare L.), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.), yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), motherwort five-lobed (Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib.), plantain leaves large (Plantago major L.) and dioecious nettles (Urtica dioica L.), heart-shaped linden flowers (Tilia cordata Mill.) and common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.), the roots of dandelion medicinal (Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg) and burdock large (Arctium lappa L.). In parallel, soil samples were taken from a depth of 0-20 cm to assess the background content of radionuclides. Measurements of potassium-40 specific activity in soil and plant samples were performed using the RADEK MKGB-01 spectrometer. Results. Statistical analysis revealed the presence of a strong positive correlation between the specific activity of the radionuclide in the soil and in plant raw materials. This allows us to assert that the main way potassium-40 gets into the raw materials is its absorption from the soil. With an increase in the specific activity of potassium-40 in the soil, its specific activity in plant raw materials increased. The unevenness of the distribution of the radioisotope in various plant organs has been established. Potassium-40 is most concentrated in the leaves and grasses of the analyzed species. Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrate the need to take into account regional features and industrial history of the area when assessing the quality of medicinal plant raw materials, in particular, in relation to natural radionuclides, and can also be used in the development of regional standards for its quality.

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