[Biological applications for x-ray microanalysis in electron probe microscopy].

The spatial location of microorganisms and their activity within the soil matrix have major impacts on biological processes such as nutrient cycling. However, characterizing the biophysical interface in soils is hampered by a lack of techniques at relevant scales. A novel method for studying the distribution of microorganisms that have incorporated isotopically labelled substrate ('active' microorganisms) in relation to the soil microbial habitat is provided by nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). Pseudomonas fluorescens are ubiquitous in soil and were therefore used as a model for 'active' microorganisms in soil. Batch cultures (NCTC 10038) were grown in a minimal salt medium containing 15N-ammonium sulphate (15/14N ratio of 1.174), added to quartz-based white sand or soil (coarse textured sand), embedded in Araldite 502 resin and sectioned for NanoSIMS analysis. The 15N-enriched P. fluorescens could be identified within the soil structure, demonstrating that the NanoSIMS technique enables the study of spatial location of microbial activity in relation to the heterogeneous soil matrix. This technique is complementary to the existing techniques of digital imaging analysis of soil thin sections and scanning electron microscopy. Together with advanced computer-aided tomography of soils and mathematical modelling of soil heterogeneity, NanoSIMS may be a powerful tool for studying physical and biological interactions, thereby furthering our understanding of the biophysical interface in soils.

Electron Probe Microanalysis↗

PubMed2006

Effect of mineral elements on phosphorus release from heated sewage sludge.

The aim of this work was to examine the influence of mineral elements on phosphorus (P) release from heated waste sludges. Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis suggested that P was associated with Al, Ca, and Mg on the surface of waste sludge biomass obtained from six wastewater treatment plants. The extent of P release decreased with increasing the total concentrations of Al, Mg, and Ca in waste sludges. The addition of Al2(SO4)3, Ca(OH)2, CaCl2, MgSO4, or NaAlO2 to activated sludges, which were taken from a bench-scale EBPR process, reduced the P release significantly.

Electron Probe Microanalysis↗

PubMed2006

Theoretical studies of molecular structure and vibrational spectra of O-ethyl benzoylthiocarbamate.

O-Ethyl benzoylthiocarbamate has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and FT-IR. The crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Title compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pna2(1), with Z=4. Unit cell parameters a=9.941(3)A, b=9.352(3)A, c=10.962(3)A and V=1019.1(5)A(3). The molecular geometry and vibrational frequencies of O-ethyl benzoylthiocarbamate in the ground state has been calculated using the Hartree-Fock and density functional using Becke's three-parameter hybrid method with the Lee, Yang, and Parr correlation functional (B3LYP) methods with 3-21G and 6-31G(d) basis sets. The computational frequencies are in good agreement with the observed results. Comparison of the observed fundamental vibrational frequencies of O-ethyl benzoylthiocarbamate and calculated results by density functional B3LYP and Hartree-Fock methods indicate that B3LYP is superior to the scaled Hartree-Fock approach for molecular vibrational problems.

Electron Probe Microanalysis↗