COMPARISON OF ELEMENT CONTENTS IN HARICOT BEANS GROWN UNDER ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING REGIMES FOR HUMAN NUTRITION AND HEALTH

Today, sustainable agriculture and food content is a very important issue in the world. Organic farming practices are very important in this respect. This study was made to observe the impact of organic agricultural regime on the products in case of haricot beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). A comparative study on elemental composition of various haricot beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) samples was conducted by using a sensitive method, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF). 26 elements such as Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Bi, Mn, Ni, P, S, Sr, Zn, Zr, La, Ti, Sn, Cl, K, Mg, Na, Ba, Rb and Si were determined in haricot beans samples (n = 10) grown under organic and conventional farming regimes. The obtained results from each group were analyzed statistically by using SPSS statistic program. It was observed that the concentration and peak intensity values of Ca, Fe, Mn, P, Zn, Cl, K, Na, Mg and Si elements were higher in the haricot beans samples grown under organic farming regime. Likewise, Al and Sr levels were found in higher levels in the samples grown under conventional farming regime. Our findings clearly revealed that organic haricot beans are likely to have higher nutritional mineral content. And the haricot beans samples grown under conventional farming regime could contain harmful metals like Al and Sr that might damage the various systems and/or organs of humans and animals.