Qualitative detection of Mg content in a leaf of Hedera helix by using X-ray radiation from a laser plasma source

DOI: 10.1002/jemt.20574

Authors: Lucia Reale (University of L'Aquila) , Paola Zuppella (Università di L'Aquila) , Maria Sighicelli (ENEA) , Tatiana Pikuz (Japan Atomic Agency (JAEA); Russian Academy of Science) , Francesco Flora (ENEA) , Tania Limongi (Università di L'Aquila) , Libero Palladino (Università di L'Aquila) , Anna Poma (Università di L'Aquila) , Josef Kaiser (Brno University of Technology) , Michaela Galiova (Masaryk University) , Antonella Balerna (Laboratorio Dafne Luce) , Gianfelice Cinque (Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Microscopy Research And Technique , VOL 71(6) , PAGES 459-468

State: Published (Approved)
Published: March 2008

Abstract: In this article, a method to reveal the presence of Mg content inside the different parts of leaves of Hedera helix is presented. In fact a sample of a Hedera helix's leaf, commonly characterized by a green and a white side, is analyzed under X-ray radiation. The presence of two zones with different colors in the Hedera helix's leaf has not been explained. In this connection, there are presently three hypotheses to explain the characteristic double-color appearance of the leaf. The first hypothesis suggests a different cytoplasmic inheritance of chloroplasts at the cell division, the second a different allelic composition, homozygote and heterozygote, between the two zones, and finally the third the action of a virus which changes the color properties in the Hedera's leaves. The resulting effect is a different content of “something” between the green and the white side. We utilized X-ray radiation, obtained from a plasma source with a Mg target, to image Hedera helix leaves and we found that the green side of the leaf is highlighted. We may suppose that the reason why the X-rays from a Mg plasma source, allow us to pick up the green side is probably due to the greater presence of the amount of Mg (from chlorophyll or other complexes and/or salts) in the two sides, green and white, of the leaf

Journal Keywords: Muscovite; Aluminoceladonite; Celadonite; White Micas ; Dioctahedral Micas; Xafs; Xanes; Geothermobarometry

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials


Instruments: NONE-No attached Diamond beamline

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