Bioimaging and Distribution of Cd,P, S, K, Ca,Cu and Zn Elements in Indian Mustard Stem

Imaging of trace metal distribution in the cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Indian mustard stem by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was typically performed using spatial resolutions of 25 μm. The plant of Indian mustard was exposed to 50 μM Cd for14 days and analyzed using Nd:YAG laser (213 nm). Intensities of 13C, 34S, 39K, 44Ca, 66Zn, 111Cd, 65Cu and 31P were measured by ICP-MS to study elemental distribution. Preferential Cd accumulation in vascular bundles was observed in stem tissue, large amount of Cd accumulated in the epidermis, cortex and the vascular tissues composed of phloem and xylem, while less Cd distributed in parenchyma consisting of many parenchyma cells. The high relationship between Ca and Cd distribution indicated that the two elements have very similar pathways. In vivo analysis method developed in this work proved that LA-ICP-MS was useful to study spatial element distribution across stem samples and had great potential for the applications in other areas of plant pathology research.

These images illustrade the distribution of Cd and other six elements in stem of Indian mustard and their quantified imafes obtained by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide