Characterization of major and trace elements in sclerotium grains |
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| Authors: | M Watanabe Y Inoue N Sakagami O Bolormaa K Kawasaki S Hiradate N Fujitake & H Ohta |
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| Institution: | Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, 226–8502; , Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152–8550; , Department of Biological Safety, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305–8604; , Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Kobe, 657–8501; , and College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, 300–0393, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Sclerotium grains in soil contain humus-metal complexes that are probably produced from fungal metabolites. The characterization of major elements in sclerotium grains collected from volcanic ash soils in Mt Myoko was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FT-IR spectrometry and CHN analysis, and the concentration of trace elements was determined by PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission spectrometer) analysis. The content of major elements, C, H, N, O and Al, was approximately 47.6, 3.32, 0.78, 30.2 and 1.4% by mass, respectively. Trace elements such as Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb were detected in the grains at concentrations between 10 and 100 μg g−1. Functional carbon groups for the whole grain were characterized by the dominance of O-alkyl C associated with aromatic C. The comparison between the surface and subsurface (matrix) of the grain showed that the concentrations of O, C and N were relatively greater on the surface of sclerotium grains than in the matrix. The proportion of carbon having C–O, C=O, and O–C=O bonds, O and N showed a tendency to decrease from the surface towards the matrix. The proportion of C assigned as C–C and/or C–H bonds had a tendency to increase towards the matrix associated with Al. |
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