School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Chiltern-Hills-Durban, South Africa
Mngadi, S., School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Chiltern-Hills-Durban, South Africa; Moodley, R., School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Chiltern-Hills-Durban, South Africa; Jonnalagadda, S.B., School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Chiltern-Hills-Durban, South Africa
The increased consumption of edible Amadumbe (Colocasia esculenta) leaves and bulbs around the world, including South Africa, has triggered investigations on its impact on ones nutritional needs and its potential toxicity. The elemental distribution in Amadumbe leaves and bulbs from eight sites in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa was investigated. The concentration of the elements in Amadumbe leaves was found to be in decreasing order of Ca Mg Fe Mn Zn Cu Ni Pb Se Cr Co. At Tongaat, north of Durban, typical elemental concentrations (in g g-1, dry mass) in the (Amadumbe leaves soil) were Ca (11014 24671), Co (0.2 3.5), Cr (5.2 75), Cu (16 40), Fe (453 21728), Mg (2368 1058), Mn (181 107), Ni (6.2 29), Pb (7.1 135), Se (6.7 5.7) and Zn (62 39). Except for Zn, concentrations of the studied elements were higher in the leaves than the bulbs. Amadumbe leaves appear to be a rich source of many es-sential elements, and macro elements, with low concentrations of the toxic metals.