APPLICATION OF MICRO-X-RAY FLUORESCENCE INTO THE PLANT UPTAKE ASSESSMENT OF NUTRIENTS AND POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to investigate the content of nutrients and potentially toxic elements in individual parts of the plant body using the analytical method of energy dispersive micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μXRF). As the model species, silver birch (Betula pendula) and European spruce (Picea abies) were selected and sampled at the abandoned Hg-ore deposit Veľká Studňa on the well-known mining territory of Malachov (Central Slovakia). In order to investigate the bioaccumulation mechanism and test the efficiency of the method, the analyses were focused on the several parts of the plant body individually: roots, stems, branches, leaves/needles. Among all elements, Ca was contained in the highest concentrations in all samples. The concentrations of essential elements decreased as follows: Ca > Si > Mg > P > S > Mn; and of potentially toxic elements in order: Zn > Fe > Al > Hg > As > Cu. The article evaluates the efficiency of the presented analytical method for application in plant matrices.