Nano Zero-Valent Iron Mediated Metal(loid) Uptake and Translocation by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) has great potential in the remediation of metal(loid)-contaminated soils, but its efficiency in metal(loid) stabilization in the plant-microbe continuum is unclear. This study investigated nZVI-mediated metal(loid) behavior in the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal-maize ( Zea mays L.) plant association. Plants with AM fungal inoculation were grown in metal(loid)- (mainly Zn and Pb) contaminated soils (Litavka River, Czech Republic) amended with/without 0.5% (w/w) nZVI. The results showed that nZVI decreased plant metal(loid) uptake but inhibited AM development and its function in metal(loid) stabilization in the rhizosphere. AM fungal inoculation alleviated the physiological stresses caused by nZVI and restrained nZVI efficiency in reducing plant metal(loid) uptake. Micro proton-induced X-ray emission (μ-PIXE) analysis revealed the sequestration of Zn (possibly through binding to thiols) by fungal structures in the roots and the precipitation of Pb and Cu in the mycorrhizal root rhizodermis (possibly by Fe compounds originated from nZVI). XRD analyses further indicated that Pb/Fe mineral transformations in the rhizosphere were influenced by AM and nZVI treatments. The study revealed the counteractive effects of AM and nZVI on plant metal(loid) uptake and uncovered details of metal(loid) behavior in the AM fungal-root-nZVI system, calling into question about nZVI implementation in mycorrhizospheric systems.

Enamel apatite crystallinity significantly contributes to mammalian dental adaptations

The monophyodont molar teeth, prismatic enamel and the complexity of enamel microarchitecture are regarded as essential dental apomorphies of mammals. As prominent background factors of feeding efficiency and individual longevity these characters are crucial components of mammalian adaptive dynamics. Little is known, however, to which degree these adaptations are influenced by the crystallographic properties of elementary hydroxyapatite crystallites, the only inorganic component of enamel. In a miniature pig where individual molars differ significantly in duration of their development and in enamel resistance to attrition stress, we found highly significant differences between the molars in the size of crystallites, amount of microstrain, crystallinity and in enamel stiffness and elasticity, all clearly scaled with the duration of tooth calcification. The same pattern was found also in red deer bearing different molar type. The results suggest that the prolongation of tooth development is associated with an increase of crystallinity, i.e. the atomic order of enamel hydroxyapatite, an obvious component of micromechanical property of mature enamel. This relation could contribute to prolongation of dental development, characteristic of mammals in general. The aspects of enamel crystallinity, omitted in previous studies on mammalian and vertebrate dental evolution, are to be taken in account in these topics.

Zhamanshin astrobleme provides evidence for carbonaceous chondrite and post-impact exchange between ejecta and Earth's atmosphere

Chemical fingerprints of impacts are usually compromised by extreme conditions in the impact plume, and the contribution of projectile matter to impactites does not often exceed a fraction of per cent. Here we use chromium and oxygen isotopes to identify the impactor and impact-plume processes for Zhamanshin astrobleme, Kazakhstan. ε54Cr values up to 1.54 in irghizites, part of the fallback ejecta, represent the 54Cr-rich extremity of the Solar System range and suggest a CI-like chondrite impactor. Δ17O values as low as -0.22‰ in irghizites, however, are incompatible with a CI-like impactor. We suggest that the observed 17O depletion in irghizites relative to the terrestrial range is caused by partial isotope exchange with atmospheric oxygen (Δ17O = -0.47‰) following material ejection. In contrast, combined Δ17O-ε54Cr data for central European tektites (distal ejecta) fall into the terrestrial range and neither impactor fingerprint nor oxygen isotope exchange with the atmosphere are indicated.Identifying the original impactor from craters remains challenging. Here, the authors use chromium and oxygen isotopes to indicate that the Zhamanshin astrobleme impactor was a carbonaceous chrondrite by demonstrating that depleted 17O values are due to exchange with atmospheric oxygen.

Mammalian enamel maturation: Crystallographic changes prior to tooth eruption

Using the distal molar of a minipig as a model, we studied changes in the microstructural characteristics of apatite crystallites during enamel maturation (16-23 months of postnatal age), and their effects upon the mechanical properties of the enamel coat. The slow rate of tooth development in a pig model enabled us to reveal essential heterochronies in particular components of the maturation process. The maturation changes began along the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) of the trigonid, spreading subsequently to the outer layers of the enamel coat to appear at the surface zone with a 2-month delay. Correspondingly, at the distal part of the tooth the timing of maturation processes is delayed by 3-5 month compared to the mesial part of the tooth. The early stage of enamel maturation (16-20 months), when the enamel coat is composed almost exclusively of radial prismatic enamel, is characterized by a gradual increase in crystallite thickness (by a mean monthly increment of 3.8 nm); and an increase in the prism width and thickness of crystals composed of elementary crystallites. The late stage of maturation (the last two months prior to tooth eruption), marked with the rapid appearance of the interprismatic matrix (IPM) during which the crystals densely infill spaces between prisms, is characterized by an abrupt decrease in microstrain and abrupt changes in the micromechanical properties of the enamel: a rapid increase in its ability to resist long-term load and its considerable hardening. The results suggest that in terms of crystallization dynamics the processes characterizing the early and late stage of mammalian enamel maturation represent distinct entities. In regards to common features with enamel formation in the tribosphenic molar we argue that the separation of these processes could be a common apomorphy of mammalian amelogenetic dynamics in general.

Influence of sample preparation on the microstructure of tooth enamel apatite

X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy are widely used for determination of the basic characteristics of the biological apatite structure. Many different techniques have been adopted for separation of the enamel part of the tooth for use in these analytical methods, but their influence on the sample itself has not yet been studied. In this paper, six different preparation techniques have been applied on pigs' teeth to see their effect on the microstructure of dental hydroxyapatite. Although the only inorganic component of the tooth is the hydroxyapatite, new phases, such as calcite, aragonite, calcium hydrogen phosphate and calcium carbonate hydroxide, appeared when a drilling technique or deproteination of the sample was used. In addition, the crystallite size (especially in thec-axis direction) varies within a wide range (330–700 Å) depending on the preparation technique. Thus, the results indicate a strong effect of the enamel separation on the phase composition and crystallite size. The method providing results most consistent with previous studies is manual disintegration.

Quantitative Study of Porosity and Pore Features in Moldavites by Means of X-ray Micro-CT

X-ray micro-computer aided tomography (μ-CT), together with optical microscopy and imaging, have been applied to the study of six moldavite samples. These techniques enabled a complete characterization to be made of the textural features of both Muong Nong-type and common splashform moldavites. A detailed study of the size and distribution of pores or bubbles confirmed the marked variability in pore size among the samples, as well as within each sample, and indicated in the Muong Nong-type moldavites the presence of at least two deformation stages which occurred before and after pore formation.

Reliability of chemical microanalyses for solid waste materials

The investigation of solid speciation of metals and metalloids is required for accurate assessment of the hazardous properties of solid waste materials from high-temperature technologies (slag, bottom ash, fly ash, air-pollution-control residues). This paper deals with the problem of reliability of microanalyses using a combination of electron microprobe analysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) only. These methods do not permit to detect nanophases in host-crystals and lead to erroneous interpretation of analytical results, considering the elements of nanophases as belonging to the crystal structure of the main phase. More detailed analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on foils prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) can be used to solve this analytical problem. In this study, lamellar aggregates of potassium-rich clinopyroxenes were detected in copper smelting slags by a combination of SEM and EPMA. However, FIB-TEM indicated the presence of leucite inclusions (tens to hundreds nm in size) within the clinopyroxene lamellae. Based on examples from smelting slags and other solid waste materials, recommendations for standard SEM and EPMA applications and the need for methods with higher resolution for mineralogical investigation of waste materials are discussed.

Determination of the metal ordering in meteoritic (Fe,Ni)3P crystals

Synchrotron radiation diffraction studies of meteoritic (Fe,Ni)3P crystals have been performed to reveal the ordering of the elements Fe and Ni on the three metal sites M1, M2 and M3 of the unit cell. The delta synthesis technique, which is a two-wavelength method using anomalous dispersion effects, was applied. For (Fe,Ni) phosphide crystals with different Fe:Ni ratios extracted from different meteorites, it was found that Ni occupies the M3 site and also partially the M2 site, avoiding the M1 position, whereas the M1 site is preferentially occupied by Fe. In connection with earlier results known from the literature, this metal distribution seems to be characteristic of this compound, and is independent of thermodynamic formation conditions.