Premium
Calcium Carbonate Modifications in the Mineralized Shell of the Freshwater Snail Biomphalaria glabrata
Author(s) -
Hasse Bernd,
Ehrenberg Helmut,
Marxen Julia C.,
Becker Wilhelm,
Epple Matthias
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3765(20001016)6:20<3679::aid-chem3679>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - biomphalaria glabrata , snail , calcium carbonate , freshwater snail , freshwater mollusc , calcium , biomineralization , mollusca , biology , ecology , zoology , fishery , chemistry , aquatic animal , helminths , paleontology , fish <actinopterygii> , schistosomiasis , organic chemistry , schistosoma mansoni
The mineralized shell (consisting of calcium carbonate) of the tropical freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata was investigated with high resolution synchrotron X‐ray powder diffractometry and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS). Parts from different locations of the snail shell were taken from animals of different age grown under various keeping conditions. Additionally, eggs with ages of 60, 72, 120, and 140 hours were examined. Traces of aragonite were found as first crystalline phase in 120 h old eggs, however, Ca K‐edge EXAFS indicated the presence of aragonitic structures already in the X‐ray amorphous sample of 72 h age. The main component of the shell of adult animals was aragonite in all cases, but in some cases minor amounts of vaterite (below 1.5 %) are formed. The content of vaterite is generally low in the oldest part of the shell (the center) and increases towards the mineralizing zone (the shell margin). In juvenile snails, almost no vaterite was detectable in any part of the shell.