| Objective The content and distribution differences of 15 inorganic elements in different processing groups of Cinnamomum (with bark, scraped bark, and rough bark) were analyzed, and the effect of the bark - scraping process on the control of heavy metal risks was assessed. Methods: The content of inorganic elements in the three groups of samples was determined by ICP-MS. Difference analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and risk assessment of heavy metals and harmful elements was conducted. Results: The content of 12 inorganic elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Pb, etc.) in the rough bark group was significantly higher than that in the with-bark group and the peeled group. Among them, the Pb content far exceeded the standards of the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (with a failure rate of 91%). OPLS-DA identified Sr, Pb, Cu, and Rb as characteristic elements distinguishing the rough bark group from the other two groups. Health risk assessment showed that the daily intake of elements in the three groups was within the safe range, but the risk in the rough bark group was relatively higher. Conclusion: The ICP-MS method established in this study for determining the content of inorganic elements in Cinnamomi Cortex is simple and reliable. The rough bark has a significant enrichment effect on these 12 elements, and removing the rough bark during processing can reduce the risk of heavy metal exposure. This study can provide references for its quality control. |
