Eur. Phys. J. D 32, 113-118 (2005)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2004-00183-2

Mapping of the metal intake in plants by large-field X-ray microradiography and preliminary feasibility studies in microtomography

¹ Institute of Physical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
² Physics and Chemistry Departments, University of L'Aquila, gc LNGS INFN, INFM, 67010 Coppito (L'Aquila), Italy
³ Basic and Applied Biology Department, University of L'Aquila, 67010 Coppito (L'Aquila), Italy
⁴ ENEA, Dipartimento Innovazione, Divisione Fisica Aplicata, CRE Frascati, C.P. 65, 00044 Frascati, Italy
⁵ MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo, Moscow Region 141 570, Russia
⁶ Sincrotrone Trieste SpcA, Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park 34012 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy

Corresponding author: ^a kaiser@ufi.fme.vutbr.cz

Received: 2 August 2004
Revised: 21 October 2004
Published online: 14 December 2004

Abstract

This paper reports on dual energy micro-radiography and tomography techniques applied both to thin plant leaves treated with copper or lead solutions and on Cu-treated small roots and stem sections, performed at the SYRMEP X-ray beamline of ELETTRA synchrotron facility in Trieste (Italy). The features of the source allowed us to apply different imaging techniques with an extremely vast field of view, up to  mm² and  mm² for micro-radiography and tomography experiments, respectively. The feasibility of getting positive indications on metal accumulation in leaves, sections of roots and stems, stem and root whole cylindrical pieces has been checked.