Uranium concentrations in South African herbal remedies.

South Africa contains some of the world's largest mineral deposits, which include uranium. Uranium is mined as a by-product of gold production. The uranium content of the surface soil and groundwater in South Africa has been measured and shows marked variation, depending on location. Herbal remedies are collected by traditional healers from many sites, some of which may be contaminated. Thirty herbal remedies were analyzed using a sensitive adsorptive stripping voltammetry method. Eight samples had levels below the limit of detection, but in five the levels were greatly elevated, showing concentrations above 40,000 ppb. The mean uranium concentration of the remainder of the specimens was of the order of 15,000 ppb. We have attempted to put these data into context by comparison with other studies of absorption of uranium by the oral route.