Neutron activation analysis study of distribution of certain elements between plant and soil

Some elements are recognized as essential for the optimal growth of plants but their number and their role is not clearly asserted up to now. Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been employed to determine the elements arsenic, barium, bromide, cerium, europium, gold, hafnium, lanthanum, lutecium, samarium, scandium, tantalum, thorium and ytterbium in different parts of Helleborus cyclophyllus BOISS. and in the soil in which the plant had grown. It has been found that bromine is selectively accumulated in plant from soil, where the value in petioles is four times higher than the value in soil while the value in leaves is about twice as high. The other elements determined show a certain distribution in plant organs but no selective accumulation.