Abstract:In order to understand the content of inorganic elements in rhubarb produced in Lixian County, Gansu Province, and to determine the contents of 15 inorganic elements in rhubarb, including lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe) and analyze the correlations between elemental contents and years of planting, and to assess the health risks of heavy metals and harmful elements in rhubarb. Analyze the correlation between the content of the elements and the planting years, and assess the health risk of heavy metals and harmful elements in rhubarb. Microwave digestion was used for the pretreatment, and inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were used to determine the contents of inorganic elements in rhubarb samples, and correlation and partial least squares discrimination (OPLS-DA) analyses were carried out to calculate the maximum tolerances (EDI), target hazard coefficients (THC), and maximum tolerances (THC) for heavy metals and harmful elements in rhubarb samples. ), target hazard factor (THQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) were calculated from the determination results for health assessment. Pb, As, Cd, Hg and Cu in 88 batches of rhubarb samples did not exceed the limit values specified in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the contents of Pb, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Na, Mg and Fe and the year; the least squares discriminant analysis could better differentiate between rhubarb inorganic element contents of different planting years in Li County. The results of health risk assessment showed that the rhubarb samples were generally safe.The rhubarb produced in Lixian County does not pose health hazards to the user population, and there is no potential health risk.