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Related Experiment Videos

Major and trace elements in spruce needles by NAA.

A Wyttenbach1, S Bajo, L Tobler

  • 1Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.

Biological Trace Element Research
|July 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Accurate elemental analysis of Norway spruce needles requires removing surface aerosols. This study determined 23 essential and nonessential elements, finding concentrations lower than in typical land plants.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Plant Biology
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Norway spruce (P. abies) is a key indicator species for environmental monitoring.
  • Accurate elemental analysis in plant tissues is crucial for understanding nutrient uptake and pollution impacts.
  • Surface contamination can significantly alter measured elemental concentrations in needles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the concentrations of 23 essential and nonessential elements in Norway spruce needles.
  • To establish the necessity of aerosol removal for accurate inherent needle concentration measurements.
  • To compare elemental concentrations in Norway spruce with general land plant data.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of Norway spruce needles from 47 diverse sites.
  • Thorough removal of surface aerosols from needle samples.
  • Neutron activation analysis (NAA) for quantifying element concentrations ranging from 10(-9) to 10(-2) g/g.
  • Determination of essential elements (Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, Zn) and nonessential elements (Al, As, Ba, Br, Co, Cs, Hg, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, V).

Main Results:

  • Elemental concentrations in Norway spruce needles were, on average, six times lower than in land plants after aerosol removal.
  • Analytical reproducibility surpassed variations observed among individual trees and within sites.
  • Variations in element concentrations among sites were linked to soil pH and local emission sources.
  • Essential elements exhibited less variation compared to nonessential elements across sites.

Conclusions:

  • Effective removal of surface aerosols is critical for obtaining accurate inherent elemental concentrations in Norway spruce needles.
  • Norway spruce needles show significantly lower elemental concentrations than the average land plant, highlighting species-specific accumulation.
  • Site-specific factors like soil pH and emissions play a significant role in elemental uptake and variation.
  • The study provides a robust dataset for Norway spruce elemental composition, valuable for ecological and environmental research.

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