Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for Minerals Analysis and for Monitoring the Change in Elemental Compositions of the Mixtures of Herbal Medicines

Abstract

In this research nutrient elements of ten Ethiopian herbal medicines promoting health advancing effect and practiced in local medicine were determined using LIBS. The LIBS analysis revealed the presence of many nutrient elements such as copper, zinc, carbon, manganese, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium and potassium. In our study we have also tried to correlate the elemental compositions in the plants with their biological effects then, by using principal component analysis (PCA) we have characterized the herbal medicines with similar elemental compositions. Finally we have demonstrated the capability of LIBS to monitor the change in elemental compositions of the mixtures of herbal medicines.

Keywords: herbal medicines, mineral elements analysis, PCA, LIBS