Multivariate analysis on the distribution of elements in plants

The present review accentuates the elemental composition of plants as investigated by various researchers utilizing sophisticated techniques. Plants contain plethora of elements which extend their benefits to humans both in terms of medicine as well as nutrition. Therefore, there is a need to explore the elemental composition of plants to investigate their nutraceutical importance. In this review, the elemental data was analyzed using different multivariate techniques. The average values of elements used in this review are sodium (Na) (241.1 mu g/g dw), magnesium (Mg) (1202.4 mu g/g dw), aluminum (Al) (159.6 mu g/g dw), silicon (Si) (133.7 mu g/g dw), phosphorus (P) (1947 mu g/g dw), sulfur (S) (1483.1 mu g/g dw), chloride (Cl) (624.5 mu g/g dw), potassium (K) (3008.5 mu g/g dw), calcium (Ca) (1663.1 mu g/g dw) and iron (Fe) (143.6 mu g/g dw) respectively. Maximum accumulation of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, P and S occurs in Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Sapotaceae, Apiaceae, Pedaliaceae and Brassicaceae, respectively.