Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Study on the Metabolism of Six Systemic Insecticides in a Newly Established Cell Suspension Culture Derived from Tea Camellia Sinensis L. Leaves
Published on: June 15, 2019
The suitability of rare earth elements for geographical traceability of tea leaves
1College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Rare earth elements (REEs) have been used for the identification of the geographical origins of an increasing number of foods. This study analyzed the effects of geographical origin, harvest season, variety, and their interactions on REEs in tea leaves to investigate whether REEs were suitable for geographical identification of tea leaves. Tea leaves of different varieties and the corresponding soils were collected in different seasons from different areas of China. The concentrations of 14 REEs in tea leaves and soils were determined, and then analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multi-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and linear discriminant analysis.
Results:
All factors significantly affected the contents of REEs in tea leaves. The concentrations of REEs in tea leaves were related to those in provenance soils. However, the concentrations of most REEs in tea leaves were primarily affected by the harvest season.
Conclusion:
Seasonal variations should be considered when REE fingerprinting is applied for the identification of tea for authentication purposes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
Related Concept Videos
Periodic Classification of the Elements
Leaving Groups
In general, in a nucleophilic substitution reaction, a nucleophile displaces a functional group, called the leaving group, from the substrate to give a substituted product. A leaving group departs the substrate molecule through heterolytic cleavage, taking the pair of electrons with it to become a relatively stable weak base in the form of an anion or a neutral molecule.
In a...
Elements and Compounds
Elements
Elements are classified as atomic or molecular based on the nature of their basic units. They are unique forms of matter with specific chemical and physical properties that cannot break down into smaller substances by ordinary chemical reactions. There...
Selected Data About Geographic Locations
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Classification of Elements and Compounds
Compounds are pure substances composed of two or more elements in fixed, definite proportions. Compounds are classified as ionic or molecular (covalent) based on the bonds...

