Metal(loid)s in Common Medicinal Plants in a Uranium Mining-Impacted Area in Northwestern New Mexico, USA
Authors
Christine Samuel-Nakamura
School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 4-246 Factor Building, Mailcode 691821, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Abdul-Mehdi Ali
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Northrop Hall MSCO 3-2040, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
The objective of this study was to determine uranium (U) and other metal(loid) concentrations (As, Cd, Cs, Pb, Mo, Se, Th, and V) in eight species of plants that are commonly used for medicinal purposes on Diné (Navajo) lands in northwestern New Mexico. The study setting was a prime target for U mining, where more than 500 unreclaimed abandoned U mines and structures remain. The plants were located within 3.2 km of abandoned U mines and structures. Plant biota samples (N = 32) and corresponding soil sources were collected. The samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry. In general, the study findings showed that metal(loid)s were concentrated greatest in soil > root > aboveground plant parts, respectively. Several medicinal plant samples were found to exceed the World Health Organization Raw Medicinal Plant Permissible Level for As and Cd; however, using the calculated human intake data, Reference Dietary Intakes, Recommended Dietary Allowances, and tolerable Upper Limits, the levels were not exceeded for those with established food intake or ingestion guidelines. There does not appear to be a dietary food rise of metal(loid) ingestion based solely on the eight medicinal plants examined. Food intake recommendations informed by research are needed for those who may be more sensitive to metal(loid) exposure. Further research is needed to identify research gaps and continued surveillance and monitoring are recommended for mining-impacted communities.
Keywords: herbal remedies, Diné reservation, environmental justice, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, ceremonial use, American Indian, Bouteloua gracilis, ethnobotanical plants
Click on "Archives" to access the full archive of scientific preprints. You may use the categories and the search functionality to find select preprints you're interested in.
