Abstract:
In order to promote the standardization and generalization of the treatment of heavy metal pollution in the soil of
Panax notoginseng plantation, and to ensure the safety of
Panax notoginseng medicinal usage, in this study, 69
Panax notoginseng planting areas in Yunnan Province were surveyed and sampled, and the contents of four heavy metals (including Pb, Cd, As and Cu) in the soil and
Panax notoginseng plants were measured and the its ecological health risk was assessed. The results indicated that the average contents of Pb, Cd, As and Cu in the soil samples of
Panax noginseng plantation were 60.8, 0.57, 49.44 mg·kg
−1 and 84.27 mg·kg
−1, respectively, and the soil pollution index was Cd>Cu>As>Pb in sequence. The potential environmental risk index (RI) of 77.2% soil samples was at the slight level and 22.8% was at the secondary level, while no samples were at the severe or especially severe level. The average contents of Pb, Cd, As and Cu in
Panax noginseng samples were 1.135, 0.10, 0.97 mg·kg
−1 and 3.9 mg·kg
−1, respectively. According to the intake of Panax notoginseng, the daily intake of heavy metals (EDI) was estimated to be 0.03~7.58, 0.011~1, 0.058~3.1, 1.1~32.3 mg·kg
−1, respectively. The single heavy metal hazard index (HI) and comprehensive hazard index (THQ) are both less than 1. To sum up, the planting soil of
Panax noginseng in Yunnan Province is at ecological risk of mild and secondary heavy metal pollution, and special attention should be paid to the degree of Cd pollution when selecting
Panax noginseng cultivated fields. There is no health risk when eating
Panax noginseng according to the pharmacopoeia requirements.