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An Improved Semiquantitative Method for Elemental Analysis of Plants Using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

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Abstract

A semiquantitative ICP-MS method suitable for evaluating metal content in plants exposed to high metal concentrations is described. The methodology which has been tested using different plant reference material is able, in only a few minutes, to obtain qualitative and quantitative information from the sample. Recoveries close to 100% were obtained for more than half of the referenced elements with an RSD <10%, thus avoiding the generation of a calibration line for each of the elements to be analyzed. The use of multi-standards improves the results obtained with conventional standards by a factor of two. In these conditions the semiquantitative multi-elemental analysis is a valid alternative for most of the analyzed elements with the exception of Si, Al, and P which requires the use of a quantitative ICP-MS analysis for its determination. Two different digestion protocols were tested, with and without the addition of HF to the HNO3 + H2O2 extraction mixture. Similar results were obtained for poplar and bush reference materials using the HNO3 + H2O2 mixture. The addition of HF did not improve the recovery of different elements, in general, but is critical for the quantitative measurements of Al and Si as its presence allows results to be obtained with an RDS <5%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dpto. Química Física Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Zuluaga

  2. Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    Nuria Rodríguez & Ricardo Amils

  3. Servicio Interpartamental de Investigación, Lab. ICP-MS, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Inmaculada Rivas-Ramirez

  4. Dpto. Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Vicenta de la Fuente & Lourdes Rufo

  5. Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

Authors
  1. Javier Zuluaga
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  2. Nuria Rodríguez
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  3. Inmaculada Rivas-Ramirez
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  4. Vicenta de la Fuente
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  5. Lourdes Rufo
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  6. Ricardo Amils
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo Amils.

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Zuluaga, J., Rodríguez, N., Rivas-Ramirez, I. et al. An Improved Semiquantitative Method for Elemental Analysis of Plants Using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Biol Trace Elem Res 144, 1302–1317 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9140-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9140-8

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