Keywords: Mangrove plants; macro elements; medicinal; micro elements; Coringa

Abstract

The inorganic elemental concentrations of eleven mangrove species collected from the Coringa mangrove forest near Kakinada Bay were determined using EDXRF spectra. Leaves and barks of seven species and leaves of four other species were used as samples. The obtained spectra were used to determine the concentrations of macro elements such as Na, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, as well as micro or trace elements, namely Zn, Cu, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Sr, Se and Rb. The computed ratios of Na:K and Ca:P were used to interpret the results in terms of understanding their role in traditional medicine. The obtained chemical or elemental profiles of the leaves and bark of the different species of mangroves of Coringa forest provide baseline data on the nutritional status of the Coringa mangrove forest that supports the medicinal and nutritional usage of these species. This may promote the determination or identification of new phytochemical compounds resulting in the development of new drugs or useful applications.