Analysis of inorganic elements in Vespa mandarinia Smith

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the inorganic elements of Vespula vulgaris Smith from different regions systematically, create an inorganic element fingerprint spectrum, and establish the basis to control the quality of Vespula vulgaris Smith. Methods: Microwave digestion with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was used to determine 20 types of inorganic elements in Vespula vulgaris Smith and create a fingerprint spectrum for inorganic elements, conducting analyses of metal elements. Results: The species of metal elements in Vespula vulgaris Smith are rich in P, K, Na, Mg, Ca, which account for 92.32% of the total. The content of harmful elements such as Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Cu meets the requirements of National Pharmacopoeia Standards. There are different metal elements in Vespula vulgaris Smith in different regions. According to the inorganic element spectrum, the content of inorganic elements exhibits a similar distribution tendency in the order of the atomic numbers. Conclusion: Vespula vulgaris Smith contains a rich variety of metal elements, including many beneficial microelements, and the content of harmful metal elements meets the requirements of the Pharmacopoeia. The inorganic element fingerprint spectrum of Vespula vulgaris Smith can provide a reference for the identification of Vespula vulgaris Smith.