ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Bioaccumulation and Translocation of Some
Transition Metals in Mentha spicata
and Mentha longifolia
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1
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Montenegro, G. Washington Street,
P. O. Box 5455, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
2
Faculty of Metallurgy and Technology, University of Montenegro, G. Washington Street,
P. O. Box 5455, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
Submission date: 2022-02-14
Final revision date: 2022-04-20
Acceptance date: 2022-05-24
Online publication date: 2022-08-02
Publication date: 2022-09-28
Corresponding author
Vlatko Kastratović
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Montenegro, Montenegro
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(5):4703-4710
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential mechanisms of the absorption and distribution
of metals in the aromatic herbs Mentha spicata and Mentha longifolia, as well as their potential for
the bioaccumulation of these elements. The herbs were sampled from the slopes of Mount Bjelasica
in Montenegro. After the microwave processing of the herb samples and the associated soil, the
content of the investigated metals Cu, Zn, Ni, Fe and Mn were determined using atomic absorption
spectrophotometry. Taking average values from various parts of both types of mint, the metals were
present in the following descending order: Fe (570 mg/kg) ˃ Mn (54.0) ˃ Zn (30.6) ˃ Cu (27.2) ˃ Ni
(2.45). The metals under investigation are most commonly present in the roots of the mint, except in the
case of Ni in M. longifolia. Manganese is more commonly found in the tissues of M. longifolia than
in M. spicata, while the other investigated metals are found relatively uniformly in both types of mint.
The bioaccumulation potential of M. spicata, from the soil to the roots, is greatest for Cu and Fe, and
generally uniform, with the next highest potential being shown by Zn