Elemental Composition of Adansonia digitata L. Bark from Two Sudanese Regions: Effects of Sample Preparation and Preliminary Safety Screening

Abstract

Abstract

Growing interest in underutilized plant resources has increased the need for comprehensive characterization of their elemental composition. This study investigated the elemental composition of Adansonia digitata L. bark collected from two ecologically distinct regions of Sudan and compared elemental distributions among three bark sample forms: whole, cryogenically ground bark (Bark-N), mechanically separated powder (Bark-P), and fibre fraction (Bark-F). Following HNO3–H2O2 wet digestion, elemental concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Generalized linear mixed-effects models revealed significant differences in regional and bark sample forms for several essential macroelements, essential trace elements, and other naturally occurring elements. Samples from the Blue Nile region contained higher concentrations of K, P, Fe, Cu, Co, and Mo, whereas bark from North Kordofan showed higher Mg, Na, Mn, Zn, Ba, and Sr concentrations. Distinct elemental profiles were also observed among the three bark sample forms. Selected potentially toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Cr, and As) were detected at low concentrations, providing baseline data for preliminary elemental safety screening. In general, this study provides one of the first comprehensive elemental characterizations of Sudanese baobab bark and establishes a reference dataset for future compositional, pharmaceutical, and industrial research.