Abstract Objective : To study the characteristics of fifteen inorganic elements in eight components of Chuanxiong Chatiao Powder (CCS). Methods: ICP-MS method was developed for the determination of fifteen inorganic elements in eight components of CCS. The fingerprints of fifteen inorganic elements were developed in eight component medicine of CCS. SIMCA-PCA was used to analyze the differences among eight component medicines, and inorganic elements of common efficacy of expelling wind to relieve pain were analyzed by principal component analysis(PCA)among Chuanxiong, Notopterygh, Angelicae Dahuricae, Asari, Schizonepetae, Saposhnikoviae, Menthae Haplocalycis and Glycyrrhizae. Student-Newman-Keuls was used to compare the differences of inorganic elements of common efficacy among these seven medicines. Results : The developed fingerprints of fifteen inorganic elements were strongly characteristics in eight component medicine of CCS. There were significant difference between Glycyrrhizae and others. The common inorganic elements were Mg, S and K based on the efficacy of expelling wind to relieve superficies among Chuanxiong, Notopterygh, Angelicae Dahuricae, Asari, Schizonepetae, Saposhnikoviae, Menthae Haplocalycis and Glycyrrhizae. Mg, S were no significant difference and K were significant difference among seven medicines. Conclusion : The ICP-MS method was accurate, reliable and reproducible for the determination of fifteen inorganic elements in eight components of CCS. The fingerprints of inorganic elements were different in eight component medicine of CCS, and the inorganic elements of common efficacy were Mg, K and S.

Abstract Taking microwave digestion method and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer(ICP-AES) method, 28 kinds of inorganic elements in 40 batches of Carthami Flos(CF) samples(dry tubular flower of Carthamus tinctorius Linn.)From Anhui, Gansu, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and Yunnan were analyzed. The results show that among heavy metal elements, Cu content in 40 batches of CF samples tested is the highest, and Hg and Pb contents are also high. Hg content in CF samples from Yunnan is significantly higher than that in the samples from other provinces(autonomous regions); in CF samples from different provinces(autonomous regions), differences in Pb and Cu contents are not significant generally, and As and Cd contents are low or undetected. Among major elements, K content in 40 batches of CF samples tested is the highest, P and Mg contents are low, and Na content is the lowest. Na and Mg contents in CF sample from Gansu and P content in the samples from Yunnan and Xinjiang are significantly higher than those in the samples from other provinces(autonomous regions), K content in the samples from Yunnan is significantly lower than those in the samples from other provinces(autonomous regions), and in general, there is no significant difference in the samples from other provinces(autonomous regions). Among essential trace elements, Fe and B contents in 40 batches of CF samples tested are high, and Ni content is the lowest. Cr content in CF samples from Xinjiang and Gansu is high, Mn, Fe, Ni and Sr contents in the samples from Gansu and Zn and B contents in the samples from Anhui are the highest; cr, Mn, Fe and Ni contents in the samples from Jiangsu, Zn content in the samples from Gansu, and Sr and B contents in the samples from Yunnan are the lowest. The results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis show that CF samples from the same province(autonomous region) are clustered well, in which, CF samples from Anhui and Jiangsu are cluster firstly, the samples from Gansu and Xinjiang are close, while the samples from Yunnan are far away from those from other provinces(autonomous regions). This study establishes a rapid and accurate method for determining inorganic elements in CF, and it is suggested that there are certain differences in contents of inorganic elements in CF samples from different locations.  

Abstract Objective  The study lays the foundation for controlling the quality of the Vespa mandarinia Smith by systematically an- alyzing the inorganic elements of the Vespa mandarinia Smith in different producing areas and drawing the fingerprint map of inorganic elements. Methods  20 kinds of inorganic elements in the Vespa mandarinia Smith were tested by using microwave digestion ICP meth- od; a control fingerprint of inorganic elements were established; and the correlation of metal elements were analyzed. Results  There are many kinds of metal elements in the Vespa mandarinia Smith, of which P, K, Na, Mg, Ca 5 elements accounted for 92.32% of the total. The content of harmful elements Pb, Cd, As, Hg and Cu meet the requirements of the national pharmacopoeia standards. The metal elements contained in Vespa mandarinia Smith in different production areas are not same. It can be seen that the content of inorganic element shows a similar distribution in the order of atomic number from the inorganic element map. Conclusion  Vespa man- darinia Smith contains a wealth 2 o 2 f metal elements, some of them are beneficial trace elements; the content of harmful metal elements meets the requirements of the pharmacopoeia. The inorganic element fingerprint map of Vespa mandarinia Smith can provide a certain reference basis for the identification of the Vespa mandarinia Smith.

Abstract By analyzing the content of inorganic elements in radix pseudostellariae from Guizhou, we aim to assess the present quality of radix pseudostellariae, set a limited standard of heavy metals, establish an element finger-print, and find out the characteristic elements. The content of inorganic elements was measured and an element finger- print was drawn by the ICP- MS. Additionally, WM/T 2 - 2004 was applied to evaluating the quality of heavy metal elements, and the characteristic elements were determined by principal component analysis. The results showed that the content of inorganic elements in radix pseudostellariae was between 0.057 and 959 mg/kg, the coefficient of variation was 0.134 -1.478, and the content of Cd, As, Pb, and Hg was below the Standard of WM/T 2 - 2004 in 90% radix pseudostellariae. The limited standard of heavy metals in radix pseudostellariae was Cr≤6.5 mg/kg, Cu≤10 mg/kg, As≤2.0 mg/kg, Cd≤0.3 mg/kg, Hg≤0.15 mg/kg, Pb≤4.0 mg/kg. The features of the inorganic elements finger- print could provide theoretical basis in identifying the quality of radix pseudostellariae and distinguish the radix pseudostellariae from other Chinese herbal medicines. The characteristic inorganic elements of radix pseudostellariae were found to be Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Fe, Ca, Mg, and Al. Radix pseudostellariae from Guizhou contained abundant inorganic elements, the content of heavy metals was below the evaluation criterion, the limited standard of heavy metals was proposed, the element finger-print was drawn, and the characteristic elements were determined eventually.

Abstract Inorganic elements in food are very important to human body both 2 o 2 n nutrition and health safety. The study and analysis of inorganic elements in food can help to evaluate the nutritional value of food and avoid toxic and harmful foods, and understand the situation and extent of food contamination in order to identify and control pollution sources. It is also beneficial to guide the production and development of fortified foods and to improve food processing technology and food quality. Therefore, the content of inorganic elements should be monitored and detected in the food production process. In order to provide a reference for the analysis of inorganic elements in food, the main methods and characteristics of inorganic elements analysis in food and its quality control at home and abroad were reviewed, and the development trend of inorganic elements analysis methods in food were clarified, including traditional chemical and physical methods, as well as covered nanotechnology and biotechnology in recent years. The practical application of these analytical methods in recent years was enumerated.

Abstract Analytical science seeks ever improving means of measuring the chemical composition, structure and morphology of natural and man-made substances, or entities (cells, complex materials) combined with the interpretation of the data obtained.