OBJECTIVETo find out the variation of 11 mental element contents in Dendrobium officinale with different germplasms and harvesting ages, the results can provide scientific basis for the quality evaluation and the breeding of D. officinale.

METHOD32 samples with 1-3 ages were collected from cultivated fields of Zhejiang and 11 samples were collected from markets. The 11 mental element contents of samples were determined by ICP-MS or AAS.

RESULTThe average contents of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Cr, and Cu were 1,205.23, 766.82, 158.25, 31.06, 4.28, 8.28, and 0.97 mg x kg(-1), the contents of As, Hg, Pb, and Cd were all in limits except Cd content of one sample exceeded the standard limit 0.07 mg x kg(-1); germplasms and physiological ages impacted mental elements contents accumulation significantly.

CONCLUSIONThere were rich essential mental elements in D. officinale. D. officinale from Zhejiang province and medical materials from market were all safe; the breeding of D. officinale can increase the contents of essential mental elements and reduce contents of heavy mental elements; the effect of physiological age on metal elements contents was related to each element's physiological and biochemical function.