STUDIES ON THE DETERMINATION 0F ESSENTIAL MINERALS IN SOME TROPICAL PLANT MATERIALS

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Date
1982-01
Authors
ADIUKU-BR0WN, MAYEN EKAETE
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Abstract
Two varieties each of Vigna unguiculata , Arachis hypogaea, Pennisetum, Sorghum, Triticurum aestivum in addition ,.. .,-., to Voandzeia subterranea thouars, Brachystegia, eurycoma., Xylopia acthiopiea; Heinsia Pulchella, Ocimum Viride willd, Curcubita linn and Telfaria occidentalis Hook ware analysed for their total calcium, copper, Iron, Manganese, Magnesium, potassium, sodium and Zinc contents. The first eleven samples were, collected from the Institute for Agricultural research, Samaru Zaria. Brachystegia eurycoma and Xylopia aethiopica were brought from Samaru Zaria market. Heinsia pulchella was collected . . from a private garden in the Cross River State while Ocimum Viride willd, Curcubita Linn and Telfaria Occidentalis Hook were collected from a private garden in area F 45, A.B.U. Staff quarter, Samaru Zaria. The different varieties of Vigna Unguiculata, Arachis hypogaea, Pennisetum, Sorghum and Triticum aestivum were found to have about the same composition of minerals. The mineral composition of Brachystogia eurycoma did not seem to vary with the method of preparation of the sample except that sample L gave a higher value for potassium. The leafy vegetables contained more minerals compared with the legumes, cereals and nuts. Fairly high levels of potasium and magnesium were recorded, while calcium, iron, Copper, Zinc, sodium and manganese are present in low amounts. High amounts of calcium was however, recorded in the leafy vegetables. Heinsia pulchclla showed a high level of manganese. The literature values agreed substantially with the values obtained from the analyses, Significant differences compared with the literature were observed in some cases for calcium and sodium. In the analyses using different digestion mixtures, the results obtained were virtually the same for most minerals. It was however noticed that the amounts of calcium and zinc obtained were slightly lowered in the digestion method using 10ml of sulphuric acid. The addition of lanthanum was not beneficial for the release of calcium and magnesium. Shaking of one grame of plant material for about five minutes with a mixture of Hel and water 1:1 is recommended as an accurate, safe and rapid extraction technique for the routine atomic-absorption decerminatior. of copper, manganese, zinc, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in typical plant materials when dried and finely ground. If however the state of a sample requires wet oxidation method, simple digestion using nitric acid only is recommended. Potassium can be analysed in plant materials using either the atomic absorption spectophotometer or the flame photometer. For the analysis of sodium, the flame photometer is more sensitive. Results obtained from the study of the effect of heating time on the amount of mineral released revealed that pro- 'Ion heating was virtually unnecessary for the release of the minerals, calcium, manganese, zinc, and copper in Arachis hypogaea. However, eratic results were obtained for iron.
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THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE. DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY (ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY) FACULTY OF SCIENCE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, SAMARU-ZARIA, NIGERIA. JANUARY 1982
Keywords
STUDIES,, DETERMINATION,, ESSENTIAL,, MINERALS,, TROPICAL,, PLANT,, MATERIALS.
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