Determination of major, minor and trace elements in Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) used as medicine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir by using PIXE technique

Medicinal plants have been identified for biological functions due to the presence of various minerals and metals in them. A study was conducted to determine selected elements in a medicinal plant dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale) from selected sites of AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) by using PIXE (particle induces x-ray emission) technique. The elements detected were Al, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, S, and Zn whose concentrations respectively ranged as 4.9–33, 672–1995.6, 23–163, 0.03–1.55, 0.42–4.10, 18–75, 516–1893, 11–34.35, 3.30–11.00, 23.5–70 mg/kg. Toxic elements were not detected in studied samples.