Determination of chemical and nanoparticle radioactive contamination levels of some herbal teas

The aim of this study is to examine the chemical and radioactive contamination levels of echinacea (Echinacea purpurea), sage (Salvia officinalis), linden (Flos tiliae), thyme (Origanum majorana) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) herbal teas, which are widely used in the world. Specified herbal teas; mineral substances, fixed oil, heavy metals, pesticides and radioactivity were investigated. Herbal teas supplied from Konya; Examined by GC-MS, ICP and gamma spectrometry. In this direction; With the ICP analysis method, a total of 20 minerals and heavy metals including Ge, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sn, Pb, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn metal has been detected. In terms of pesticides, chitozen in sage, dieldrin in echinacea and linden, dieldrin and 2,4 DDE in thyme and methoxychlor in fennel were detected. Ra226, Th-232, K-40 values for fennel were 29.219±0.708 (Bq/kg-1), 28.721±0.641 (Bq/kg-1), 104.675±1.774 (Bq/kg-1), respectively; for echinacea, respectively; 34.418±0.415 (Bq/kg-1), 26.199±0.595 (Bq/kg-1), 90.123±1.015 (Bq/kg-1). Values for sage; 15,481±0.509 (Bq/kg-1), 16.435±0.520 (Bq/kg-1), 285.159±2.11 (Bq/kg-1) were found. For thyme; For 21.254±0.235 (Bq/kg-1), 20.943±0.341 (Bq/kg-1), 100.785±1.584 (Bq/kg-1) and linden; It was determined as 10,917±0.134 (Bq/kg-1), 24.697±0.297 (Bq/kg-1), and 252.270±1.995 (Bq/kg-1). In this study, certain levels of pesticides, heavy metals and radioactive substances were determined in widely consumed medicinal and aromatic herbal teas. There are few studies on the radioactivity contents of medicinal and aromatic herbal teas and more studies are needed. It is thought that thanks to food technology and nanotechnology, these contaminations will be minimized and the consumption of herbal teas used for therapeutic purposes will increase in terms of public nutrition and health. Keywords: Echinacea, Sage, Linden, Thyme, Fennel, Herbal teas, Heavy metals, Pesticide, Radioactivity, Contamination, Nanotechnology