Isoprene is formed in and emitted by plants and the reason for this apparent carbon waste is still unclear. It has been proposed that isoprene stabilizes cell and particularly chloroplast thylakoid membranes. We tested if membrane stabilization or isoprene reactivity with ozone induces protection against acute ozone exposures. The reduction of visible, physiological, anatomical, and ultrastructural (chloroplast) damage shows that clones of plants sensitive to ozone and unable to emit isoprene become resistant to acute and short exposure to ozone if they are fumigated with exogenous isoprene, and that isoprene-emitting plants that are sensitive to ozone do not suffer damage when exposed to ozone. Isoprene-induced ozone resistance is associated with the maintenance of photochemical efficiency and with a low energy dissipation, as indicated by fluorescence quenching. This suggests that isoprene effectively stabilizes thylakoid membranes. However, when isoprene reacts with ozone within the leaves or in a humid atmosphere, it quenches the ozone concentration to levels that are less or non-toxic for plants. Thus, protection from ozone in plants fumigated with isoprene may be due to a direct ozone quenching rather than to an induced resistance at membrane level. Irrespective of the mechanism, isoprene is one of the most effective antioxidants in plants.
This paper describes an optimization of the analysis of amines in aqueous solution. Direct injection of the acidic sample (HCl 0.12 N) is performed by the coupling of packed precolumn with a capillary column. The basic support efficiently traps residual vapors of hydrochloric acid and water at the injection time; the capillary chromatographic performance is maintained. The precolumn coupling with PoraPLOT Amines capillary column enables a separation and quantification of the lower volatile aliphatic amines (methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine and ethylamine). The ammonia addition to the solution (200 ppm NH3) reduces amine adsorption in the column. The analysis repeatability is about 5% for a 50μM amine mixture and 21% for the quantification limit of 0.5 μM with a sensitive and specific nitrogen phosphor detector. The precolumn avoids using split injection (sensitivity increased). Other nitrogen compounds can be analyzed by this system: aromatic amines (aniline) and unsaturated nitrogen heterocycles (pyridine). This new technique increases the chromatographic performances in comparison with usual methods; its automation is possible.
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