Determination of concentrations of chromium and other elements in soil and plant samples from leather tanning area by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

Chromium, one of the toxic elements, along with other elements has been determined in samples of soil and plant (leaves and seeds) from Jajmau Area, Kanpur district, India, which is irrigated with effluent waste water from leather tanning industries. Soil and plant samples were collected from these areas and analyzed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using high flux reactor neutrons and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Concentrations of fifteen elements in soil and five elements in plant samples were determined by relative method. Chromium concentrations were found to be in range of 45–3,900 mg kg^?1in soil samples and 14–83 mg kg^?1 in plant samples. This study showed that Cr is present in significant amounts, in the soil as well as in the plant samples, near to the leather tanning area. As a part of quality control work, IAEA reference material (RM) SL-3 and NIST standard reference material (SRM) 1645 were analyzed and the quality of the results has been evaluated by calculating % deviations from recommended/literature/certified values.     

Determination of trace elements in soil and plants in the Orontes basin of Syria by using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) have been used for the determination of some major, minor and trace elements (As, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Sb, Sc, Ce, Ti, Fe, Mn and V) in various plant leaves together with their soil. The accuracy of the measurements have been evaluated by analyzing a number of plant and soil reference materials, precision have been estimated by triplicate analysis of the sample as well as that of the reference material. The obtained accurate and reliable data of some trace elements on microgram level for plants and soil will serve as baseline values and will be helpful to monitor the changes in the trace element content of soil and plant leaves.The authors are thankful to Prof. I. Othman General Director of AECS for his encouragement and his support.     

Determination of trace elements in soil and plants in the Orontes basin of Syria by using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) have been used for the determination of some major, minor and trace elements (As, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Sb, Sc, Ce, Ti, Fe, Mn and V) in various plant leaves together with their soil. The accuracy of the measurements have been evaluated by analyzing a number of plant and soil reference materials, precision have been estimated by triplicate analysis of the sample as well as that of the reference material. The obtained accurate and reliable data of some trace elements on microgram level for plants and soil will serve as baseline values and will be helpful to monitor the changes in the trace element content of soil and plant leaves.The authors are thankful to Prof. I. Othman General Director of AECS for his encouragement and his support.     

Evaluation of trace-element pollution in Barada River environment by instrumental neutron activation analysis

The impact of tanning and electroplating industry on the eastern part of Barada River environment has been evaluated. Sediment, soil and plant samples were collected from nine sites at the river near the eastern industrial complex during 1999. Results of instrumental neutron activation analysis have shown high levels of Cr in sediment collected near the tanning factories; the highest value obtained being 2692 ppm. In addition, relatively high levels of Cr were also found in the agriculture soil collected near the riverbank in the industrial complex; Cr concentrations varied between 77 ppm and 327 ppm. However, Cr concentrations in plant leaves grown at riverbank were found low and this due to strong bounding of Cr to soil. Other trace metals such as copper and nickel were also high in sediment samples. The highest concentration of copper was about 4000 ppm, which is much higher than the natural levels; electroplating shops are the main source of this element in the area. Furthermore, concentrations of the studied trace metals have decreased as the sampling site distance became far from the industrial complex. In general, other trace elements were found to be at low concentrations, but the obtained data can be used as a baseline for future monitoring.     

Determination of major and trace elements in the indigenous medicinal plant Withania somnifera and their possible correlation with therapeutic activity

Withania somnifera (family Solanaceae) has been studied to determine major and trace elements and their possible correlation with therapeutic value of the plant. Nine trace elements were determined in Withania somnifera. This important medicinal plant was found to be rich in Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Zn. These trace elements are well known for curing diseases. The plant contains nutrient elements, which are best sources for fodder.     

Determination of trace elements in a medicinal plant by neutron activation analysis

The concentration of inorganic elements in medicinal plants may be related to the concentration of active constituents. Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been employed to determine the elements antimony, cesium, chlorine, cobalt, iron, manganese, nickel, potassium, rubidium, selenium, sodium and zinc in different parts of Helleborus cyclophyllus BOISS. and in the soil in which the plant was grown. It has been found that antimony has a selective accumulation in the rhizome of this plant where the active constituents are located, as well as chlorine in petioles and leaves.     

Variation of the rare earth element concentrations in the soil, soil extract and in individual plants from the same site

Samples of various types (spruce needles, blackberry leaves, soils, and soil extracts) have each been taken at 6 places from the same site. In addition, 4 whirls each from 2 spruce trees were sampled. Rare earth elements (REEs) were determined in these samples by neutron activation analysis with a chemical group separation. Variations between places were found to be small with soils and soil extracts, but large with plants. Variations between whirls were small. Plants neither reflected the soil nor the soil extract. Both plant species were dissimilar, but the logarithm of their ratio was a linear function of the atomic number of the REE. A negative Ce anomaly (with respect to soil) was found in both plant species.     

Determination of Traces of Uranium and Thorium in Environmental Matrices by Neutron Activation Analysis

Radioactive elements like ²³²Th and ²³⁸U along with their daughter products, form part of all environmental matrices and are getting transferred to living beings by different pathways, leading to a continuous radiation exposure and need to be monitored. This paper presents an analytical methodology, highlighting the need to separate interfering beta- and gamma-emitters from the analytes, when neutron activation analysis is employed for the determination of traces of uranium and thorium in soil and plant materials. The method has been applied to the soil and plant materials from selected regions of India, along with standard reference materials to verify the validity of the proposed separation scheme. The overall reproducibility of the procedure was 2–10%. The concentration values of uranium and thorium so obtained, have been used to calculate transfer factors from soil to various parts of wheat plant.     

A Comparative Study of Methods of the Dynamic Fractionation of Rare Earth Elements in Soils

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - Rare earth elements (REEs) are currently used in fertilizers, but their behavior in the soil–plant system remains poorly understood. The assessment of the...     

Analysis of mineral nutrients status of whole plant and growth substratum of Phyllanthus niruri L., an anti-plasmodial herb using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

The mineral status of whole plant samples of Phyllanthus and its growth substratum was determined using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. A total of 11 elements were detected in both whole plant and soil samples with varying concentrations depending on area of collection as well plant or it soil substratum. Comparatively, the concentration of all the elements except Cl, Ca and Br was higher in the soil samples than the whole plant indicating that the plant obtained these elements from the growth substratum. For the plant samples, the concentration of tungsten (W) and arsenic (As) were below the detection limits while for the soil sample chlorine (Cl) and calcium (Ca) were below detection limits. Three of the elements namely Mg, Ca and K detected in the plant samples are macroelements and were therefore detected in higher concentrations in the plant samples. The element with the highest concentration was K and it ranged from 1,215.44 to 5,658.06 and 0.64 to 1.20 % in soil and whole plant samples respectively. Arsenic (As) is considered as a toxic element and its concentration below detection limits in the whole plant sample makes it pharmacologically safe for human consumption.     

Transfer factors of 31 elements in several agricultural plants collected from 150 farm fields in Aomori, Japan

Soil-to-plant transfer factors of 31 stable elements were determined by neutron activation analysis. The transfer factor is one of the important parameters used to estimate the internal radiation dose from radionuclides through food ingestion. In the present study, 12 species of agricultural plants such as root crops, fruit vegetables, green vegetables and pasture grasses, and their soils were collected from 150 farm fields in Aomori prefecture, Japan. The elements described are those that could be detected by this method, which include both essential and nonessential elements for plant growth. The concentrations of individual elements in the cultivated soil samples for each plant were similar in values and their standard deviations were within one order of magnitude, because of the relatively narrow geographic sampling area. The elements were classified into two groups, each having different transfer factor characteristics. In the first group of elements there was an inverse correlation between the transfer factors and the concentrations of elements in the soil, especially for Cl, K and Ca. In the second group, especially Sc and Co, however, the transfer factors were independent of the concentrations of elements in the soil.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of sewage sludge and compost

Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been applied for the analysis of four sewage sludges of municpal water treatment plants, one sludge of an industrial water treatment plant one compost of a municipal compostation plant in Belgium. This pilot study showed that concentrations for 41 elements could be obtained. Tests for homogeneity and accuracy indicated the necessity of a thorough grinding and homogenization of the samples before analysis. The concentrations obtained were compared with the mean soil composition and the possible enrichment of heavy metals in the soil calculated when the materials are used as a manure to agricultural land. The Zn concentration is mostly the limiting factor for the agricultural application.     

The Design of Experiment as a Tool to Model Plant Trace-Metal Bioindication Abilities

Bioindicator plants are species that have the capacity to linearly uptake some elements (metal and metalloids) from the growing substrate, thus reflecting their concentration in the soil. Many factors can influence the uptake of these elements by plants, among which is the simultaneous presence of several metals, a common situation in contaminated or natural soils. A novel approach that can be used to validate the bioindication ability of a species growing on a polymetallic substrate is the design of experiment (DoE) approach. The aim of the present study was to apply the DoE in full factorial mode to model the Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cr bioindication capacity of Polygonum aviculare, used as the model plant. The results showed that P. aviculare has the ability to bioindicate Cd and Cr with a linear uptake (from 0.35 to 6.66, and 0.1 to 3.4 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) unaffected by the presence of other metals. Conversely, the uptake of Pb, Cu, and Zn is strongly influenced by the presence of all the studied metals, making their concentration in the plant shoot not proportional to that of the soil. In conclusion, these preliminary results confirmed that the DoE can be used to predict the bioindicator abilities of a plant for several elements at the same time and to evaluate the interactions that can be established between variables in the growing medium and in the plant itself. However, more studies including other plant species are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this method.     

Analysis of sewage sludge and cover soil by neutron activation analysis

The Korean government reported that in 2005, 4395 tons/day of sewage sludge were generated from sewage disposal facilities in Korea and only 11.03% of it was reused. In addition, as a direct landfill of sewage sludge was forbidden from June 2003, research for a relevant disposal technique has been increasing. In this study, the aims were to analyze the collected sewage sludge samples and to evaluate the possibility for their reuse by a comparison of the elemental contents from a sewage sludge and a cover soil. Sludge samples were collected from a sewage disposal plant in Daejeon city and the cover soil was produced by a dilution of a sewage sludge with quicklime. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was employed to determine the elemental contents in the samples. Twenty seven elements were analyzed and their concentrations were compared.     

Elemental uptake of radish grown near a Municipal Solid Waste dumping site by EDXRF

Radish plant was collected along with root and soil from the nearby area of a Municipal Solid Waste dumping site of the metropolitan city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India and analyzed for a wide range of elements using the EDXRF technique with a ¹⁰⁹Cd point source and a Si(Li) detector. The samples comprized of the root-soil, root and leaves. For quality control purposes, NIST standard reference material (SRM) 1648 Urban Particulate Matter had also been analyzed using the same procedure as for the samples. Concentrations of elements with X-ray energies in the range of 3–20 keV in the soil around the root and their uptake pattern by the root and the leaves have been estimated.     

Qualitative soil mineral analysis by EDXRF,XRD and AAS probes

Soil minerals study is vital in terms of investigating the major soil forming compounds and to find out the fate of minor and trace elements, essential for the soil–plant interaction purpose. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been a popular technique to search out the phases for different types of samples. For the soil samples, however, employing XRD is not so straightforward due to many practical problems. In the current approach, principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to have an idea of the minerals present, in qualitative manner, in the soil under study. PCA was used on the elemental concentrations data of 17 elements, determined by the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. XRD analysis of soil samples has been done also to identify the minerals of major elements. Some prior treatments, like removal of silica by polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) slurry and grinding with alcohol, were given to samples to overcome the peak overlapping problems and to attain fine particle size which is important to minimize micro-absorption corrections, to give reproducible peak intensities and to minimize preferred orientation. A 2θ step of 0.05°/min and a longer dwell time than normal were used to reduce interferences from background noise and to increase the counting statistics. Finally, the sequential extraction procedure for metal speciation study has been applied on soil samples. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to find the concentrations of metal fractions bound to various forms. Applying all the three probes, the minerals in the soils can be studied and identified, successfully.     

Soil-plant relationi in Cuban sugar cane by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA)

This paper shows the result of soil-plant relation in samples from Cuban sugar canes of different soil types and cane varieties, using INAA from a thermal reactor. The behavior of minor and trace elements in sugar cane leaves is unifor and independent of sugar cane variety of type of soil. The soil-plant relation shows four principal groups of micro elements, according to their absorption by the plant.     

Examination of the translocation of sulfonylurea herbicides in sunflower plants by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry imaging

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to control weeds, pests and diseases. Successful control is dependent on the compound reaching the target site within the organism after spray or soil application. Conventional methods for determining uptake and movement of herbicides and pesticides include autoradiography, liquid scintillation and chromatographic techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Autoradiography using radiolabelled compounds provides the best indication of a compound's movement within the plant system. Autoradiography is an established technique but it relies on the synthesis of radiolabelled compounds. The distribution of four sulfonylurea herbicides in sunflower plants has been studied 24 h after foliar application. The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) images of protonated molecules and fragment ions (resulting from fragmentation at the urea bond within the sulfonylurea herbicides) has provided evidence for translocation above and below the application point. The translocation of nicosulfuron and azoxystrobin within the same plant system has also been demonstrated following their application to the plant stem. This study provides evidence that MALDI-MSI has great potential as an analytical technique to detect and assess the foliar, root and stem uptake of agrochemicals, and to reveal their distribution through the plant once absorbed and translocated.     

Trace elements in land plants: Concentration ranges and accumulators of rare earths,Ba, Ra,Mn, Fe,Co and heavy halogens

More than 2000 samales of land plant leaves, mostly of tree, have been analyzed by neutron activation analysis in order to find out macroscopic relations between distributions of chemical elements in plants and soil characteristics. The distributions of the elements in plants were also examined from the view point of botanical taxonomy or phylogeny. New species which accumulate Co, rare earths, Ba, Ra, heavy halogens and some other elements have been found. Capability or potentiality for accumulating elements could be related to higher ranks of taxonomy, that is, genus or family. The nature of soil is also found to have profound effects on the extent of accumulation of elements in plants.     

交互模式-电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)法测定生态地球化学植物样品中7种金属元素

植物样品中各元素的含量,是评价土壤质量及健康的重要指标。为满足测定大批量生态地球化学植物样品中多金属元素分析要求,建立了交互模式-电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)法测定植物样品中7种痕量金属元素的定量分析方法。讨论了ICP-MS的STD、KED(He)、交互模式3种方法测定植物样品中7种金属元素结果。结果表明,利用工作曲线法配制Hg标准溶液,更改⁸²Se在线校正方程系数为1.83,在ICP-MS的交互模式下测定植物样品中⁸²Se、⁶³Cu、⁶⁰Ni、⁶⁶Zn、¹¹¹Cd、⁷⁵As、²⁰²Hg可以得到准确可靠的结果,克服了植物样品中Se和Hg元素测定的难题。基于所建方法各元素校准曲线系数>0.999,方法检出限为0.000 4～0.08 mg/kg,加标回收率在96.2%～107%,测定GBW10010a(大米)、GBW10012(玉米)、GBW10021(豆角)3种标准物质,结果均在参考值范围内,相对标...