Macro-and microelement contents of five medicinal plants (Taraxacum officinale Weber, Eucalyptus globulus Labill, Plantago lanceolata L., Matricaria chamomilla L. and Mentha piperita L.) and their infusions were evaluated by the combined use of x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF and EDXRF, bulk raw plants) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS and ICP-AES, infusions) techniques. The analytical methods allow the determination of 17 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, and Pb) both in plants and in the infusions. The use of XRF techniques offer a good multielemental approach for the rapid quality control of bulk raw plant materials whereas ICP techniques are well suited for the analytical control of infusions in order to ascertain the nutritional role of medicinal plants and the daily dietary intake.

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Petrological, geochemical and Nd-isotopic analyses have been carried out on rock samples from the Rainbow vent field to assess the evolution of the hydrothermal system. The Rainbow vent field is an ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal system located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, characterized by vigorous high-temperature venting (~365ºC) and unique chemical composition of fluids: high chlorinity, low pH and very high Fe and REE contents (Douville et al. 2002). Serpentinisation has occurred under a low-temperature (<270ºC) retrograde

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