# Mineral Composition of _Chelidonium majus_ L. and Soils in Urban Areas
## 4 Discussion
The iron (Fe) and potassium (K) content results obtained in this study are several times higher than those reported in other studies (Table 1) [26], as displayed by the case of the aboveground part, where the average Fe value was 11,112 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\); in the roots a similar result was obtained (1088 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)). Low potassium content was noted in the aboveground part (33,054 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) and it was higher in the underground part (46,733 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) of _Ch. majus_; an inverse relationship was found in this study. Potassium (K) is usually found in the highest concentrations in plant tissues (>100,000. Table 1) and performs many metabolic functions (enzyme activation, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, phloem transport, osmoregulation, etc.). K is easily mobile in the phloem and can be redistributed within the plant [57]. The variation in plant iron and potassium content depends on their available form in the soil. In this case, anthropogenic soils are characterized by a high content of various elements in the soil, with most of these elements originating from anthropogenic sources [62]. The potassium concentration in _Ch. majus_ was consistent with previous studies on medicinal herbs [61; 63; 64]. Studies by other authors [26] have reported higher Mg content in _Ch. majus_ roots (3148 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) compared to the results of this study (Table 1), while a lower Mg content was observed in leaves (1785 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)), while, in this study, the range of Mg was from 3500 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) to 4500 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\). Mg is absorbed from the soil as Mg\({}^{2+}\) cations. Magnesium (Mg) is a chlorophyll component involved in enzyme activation and carbohydrate partitioning. The average range of Mg content in green tissues is 0.15 to 0.35% on a dry weight basis [57]. The Mg content observed in _Ch. majus_ in this study aligns closely with earlier findings [36; 39; 61; 65]. Sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al) play a marginal role in plant metabolism, and, therefore, their content in plant tissues is low [57]. [PERSON] et al., [26] reported similar results to those obtained in this study, with a low Al content (164.5 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) and Na content (214 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) in leaves and roots (Al: 964.7 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\); Na: 484 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)). These values are generally higher than those observed in this study, except for the aluminum content in the leaves. Other studies have also confirmed the low sodium content in plants [61]. Phosphorus (P) is a key component of nucleic acids, essential for storing and transmitting energy in plant cells, and it also affects root growth and flowering [66]. The obtained results (Table 1) are consistent with previous studies [26; 45; 58], which report an average value of phosphorus in leaves, where it is 5383 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) and 3609 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) in roots. The studied soils are rich in phosphorus, which enters the soil, among other matter, as a result of the fertilization of parks [8; 9; 29] and biomass decomposition. Phosphorus is absorbed by plants from the soil in the form of phosphate anions (H\({}_{2}\)PO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{-}\) and HPO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{2-}\)). Sulfur (S) is a component of amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, essential for protein synthesis and detoxifying heavy metals in plant cells [67]. Sulfur in plants can occur in amounts from several to several dozen mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) of dry mass. This corresponds to the tested samples, where the S content in the leaves varied from 2200 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) to 3300 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) (Table 1). [PERSON] et al., [26] reported average S values in leaves (2850 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)) and roots (2265 mg\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\)). The sulfur content in the roots observed in that study was higher than the values obtained in this work (Table 1). The chemical composition of urban soils, including those in the studied urban parks, is shaped by both natural and anthropogenic soil-forming processes.