Phenolics composition in Erica sp. differentially exposed to metal pollution in the Iberian Southwestern Pyritic Belt

The phenolic composition of different populations of Erica andevalensis, E. australis and E. arborea was analyzed according to the different degree of exposition to metals in soils. E. andevalensis populations, highly exposed to metal pollution, had the lowest total phenol content and the lowest antioxidant activity measured as trolox equivalents. The HPLC analysis of leaf extracts revealed that phenolic composition in all analyzed populations of E. australis and E. arborea was very similar, although wild populations were differentially exposed to metal pollutions. However, E. andevalensis showed a phenolic profile characterized by the absence of many phenolic compounds quantified in the other species, although two compounds derived from cinnamic and coumaric acids were exclusively observed in this species.