Classical dry ashing of biological and agricultural materials. Part II. Losses of analytes due to their retention in an insoluble residue

1Zinc is one of the essential micronutrients required for the growth of plants. It is an integral component or activator of a number of enzymes that represent almost all enzymatic groups in plants. Zinc is highly mobile in the soil and is easily taken up by plants and thus can accumulate in the biomass up to extremely high phytotoxic concentrations (Vysloužilová et al. 2003a, b). The accumulation rate depends on soil conditions, plant species, genotype, climate and agronomic practice (Tiller 1989, Tlustoš et al. 2001. High concentrations of Zn in the soil, a frequent consequence of anthropogenic activities (Alloway 1995), affect adversely the life processes of plants (e.g. Vangronsveld and Clijsters 1994) and can result in decreased production of biomass (Vysloužilová et al. 2003a, b) ABSTRACTA pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of varying supplies of Zn (50-150-300 mg/kg soil -Orthic Luvisol) on the uptake of Zn by plants, selected productive parameters and production of secondary metabolites in Matricaria chamomilla L., diploid cv. Novbona. Chamomile takes up Zn easily and accumulates it in all its organs. The maximum supply of Zn resulted in an 18-fold increase in chamomile shoots where it reached the level of 271.0 mg/kg dry matter. Such a treatment resulted in a 5-fold increase of Zn in chamomile anthodia (Matricariae flos drug) reaching a level of 159.8 mg/kg dry matter. During cultivation, experimental plants showed no signs indicating an excess of Zn. Of the selected productive parameters, the increasing concentration of Zn in the soil affected significantly only the plant height. A weak, positive, insignificant effect of Zn was observed in the production of the plant biomass. When supplying Zn at a rate of 50 mg/kg soil the biomass of the shoots dry matter increased by 17% and anthodia by 8%, respectively (P > 0.05). However, an additional increase in Zn supply reduced production of anthodia, while the dose of 300 mg Zn/kg soil resulted in a significant, 17% decrease of anthodia yield in comparison with the maximum production achieved with the treatment by 50 mg Zn/kg soil. The application of Zn into the soil affected only slightly the content of essential oil and proportion of chamazulene, (E)-β-farnesene, and ene-yne-dicycloethers. An increased supply of Zn did not affect the concentration of flavone apigenin and coumarin herniarin in chamomile anthodia. Zn fertilization decreased the accumulation of Cd in chamomile plants; supply of 50 mg Zn/kg soil and caused an decrease in Cd concentration by 10% in shoots (P > 0.05) and by 37% (from 0.280 to 0.176 mg Cd/kg dry matter) in anthodia (P < 0.01), respectively. An additional increase in soil Zn decreased significantly with an accumulation of Cd by 18% (at a dose of 300 mg Zn/kg soil) only in chamomile shoots.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The response of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) plants to soil zinc supply

Grejtovský¹,

Markušová²,

Eliašová³

et al. 2006

“…Plant material was decomposed by a modified dry ashing procedure in a mixture of oxidizing gases (O 2 + O 3 + NO x ) in APION Dry Mode Mineraliser (Miholová et al 1993). Total element concentration in soils was determined after two-step decomposition, using APION in the first step and wet digestion with a mixture of HF + HNO 3 in the second step (Mader et al 1998). Metal availability in soil was determined by 0.01 mol/l CaCl 2 extraction at a 1:10 ratio (w/v) (Novozamsky et al 1993).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cadmium and zinc phytoextraction potential of seven clones of Salix spp. planted on heavy metal contaminated soils

Vysloužilová¹,

Tlustoš²,

Száková³

2003

Self Cite

116

The Cd and Zn accumulation and phytoextraction potential of seven willow clones was investigated in a pot experiment for two vegetation periods. Heavily polluted Fluvisol-Litavka, moderately contaminated Cambisol-Pribram, and unpolluted control Chernozem-Suchdol were used. Significant differences were found in Cd and Zn accumulation between the willow clones. Cd and Zn were transferred from roots to aboveground tissues and all tested clones confirmed higher Cd and Zn accumulation in leaves than in twigs. Cd and Zn amounts removed by willow leaves were the highest from the most polluted soil (up to 83% Cd and 71% Zn of total removal). Therefore the harvest of leaves is necessary if willows are planted for heavy metal phytoextraction. Although the extremely high Zn contamination of Fluvisol-Litavka significantly reduced biomass production, willows planted in this soil showed the highest Zn removal because of extremely high Zn accumulation (max. 5061 ppm in leaves). Clones planted in moderately contaminated soil achieved the highest Cd removal. Clones showed different abilities to remove Cd and Zn, which was dependent on soil type and contamination level. Remediation factors were determined less than 1% for Zn in the heavily polluted soil and also unsatisfactory for Cd. However, it was shown that willows were suitable phytoextractors of moderately contaminated soil. About 20% of Cd and 4% of Zn were removed by harvested biomass from the total content of soil after two vegetation periods.

“…Freeze-dried samples (250-300 mg of leaf blades, 150-250 mg of shoots and 50-100 mg of roots) were decomposed according to the standard operational procedure described by Mader et al (1998). They were charred on a hot plate in a temperature range of 350-500°C and then ashed in a muffle furnace at 350-500°C.…”

Section: Determination Of CD Content By a Methods Of Atomic Absorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of cadmium on polyphenol content in young barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Dudjak¹,

Lachman²,

Miholová³

et al. 2004

Self Cite

The effect of abiotic stress caused by cadmium on the total polyphenols content in root, shoots and leaf blades of barley was investigated in model experiments. Total polyphenols content was determined spectrophotometrically with Folin Ciocalteau’s reagent, Cd content by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 28-day-old plants. Treatment of the barley plants with Cd (1.10<sup>–6</sup> mol/l) in a nutrition solution caused the increase in the total polyphenols in all parts of the plant. The highest increase was found in the leaf blades (35.2%, 8340 mg/kg d.m.), a lesser increase found in the shoots (16.7%, 3590 mg/kg d.m.), and the lowest increase found in the roots (10.3%, 3650 mg/kg d.m.). The highest Cd increase in the treated plants was found in the roots (10 400%, 240 mg/kg d.m.), the lesser in their shoots (4990%, 16.3 mg/kg d.m.), and the lowest in the leaf blades (2580%, 5.78 mg/kg d.m.). There was found a statistically significant increase (at least P < 0.05) in the total polyphenols and Cd contents in all investigated parts of the plant. Statistically significant differences (at least P < 0.05) of the total polyphenols and Cd contents among barley roots, shoots, and leaf blades were found.