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Novel micro–suction‐cup design for sampling soil solution at defined distances from roots
Author(s) -
Puschenreiter Markus,
Wenzel Walter W.,
Wieshammer Gottfried,
Fitz Walter J.,
Wieczorek Simone,
Kanitsar Katherina,
Köllensperger Gunda
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.200421681
Subject(s) - suction , rhizosphere , suction cup , chemistry , membrane , adsorption , soil water , polyacrylic acid , chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , soil science , environmental science , geology , biology , polymer , biochemistry , mechanical engineering , paleontology , organic chemistry , fishery , bacteria , engineering
Micro–suction cups made of nylon membranes and polyacrylic tubes with planar geometry of the membrane were designed for repeated sampling of rhizosphere solution at defined distances from a root monolayer. Adsorption tests revealed that the materials used (nylon membrane, polyacrylic tube) have little influence on the concentration of heavy metals in the sample solution, whereas some organic acids are partly retained by the suction cup. A sampling protocol was developed for collecting extremely small solution volumes ( i.e., droplets of 28.3±2.46 μl) for subsequent measurements of trace elements using ICP‐SFMS. A homogeneity test showed that soil‐solution concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, and Ni could be reproduced independent of the suction‐cup position in a rhizobox experiment without plants. In a similar experiment, the rhizobox was planted with the Ni hyperaccumulator Thlaspi goesingense. Compared to more distant soil layers, an increase of Ni and a concurrent decrease of Ca, K, and Mg at 1 mm distance from the root plane was found. These changes can be related to plant uptake and mobilization processes. Our results show that the novel micro–suction cups are a valuable tool for elucidating rhizosphere processes.