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Phytochemicals Analysis and Detection of Heavy metal contents in Euphorbia nivulia and Soil of Cholistan Desert by Atomic Absorption Spectrum
Heavy metals can be defined as possessing some toxic activity and having an atomic weight greater than sodium. Heavy metals are part of different food chains in the ecosystem. They pose different harmful effects on the human body. The soil of the cholistan desert is very rich in compounds as evidenced by many research studies. These compounds are absorbed by native plants and can be isolated via phytochemical analysis. Euphorbia nivulia is native to the cholistan desert, Bahawalpur, and was used for different therapeutic purposes for many years. The soil of cholistan desert and Euphorbia nivulia were analyzed for the determination of heavy metals and phyto-constituents. Different parts of the plant contain several elements in varying concentrations such as cobalt, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, copper, lead, and iron. The present study sought to determine the content of some heavy metals in Euphorbia nivulia and soil collected from the Cholistan desert. The mineral and heavy metal contents were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and phytoconstituents by standard qualitative procedures. This study revealed the presence of copper, chromium, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc. A considerable number of phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolic contents were detected.