Identification of elements in plant drugs and their water infusion using X-ray fluorescence analysis

The present work gives preliminary results of analysis of drug mixtures (NEPHROSAL tea bag) and its water infusion. In a sample of dried drugs the elements K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Pb were identified, whereas in their water infusion only Ca, Mn, Zn and Sr were found. The method applied was radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis using a radionuclide source¹⁰⁹Cd, a Si/Li semiconductor detector and a multichannel analyzer Canberra 8100.