Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.sab.2015.12.001
Title (Primary) Determination of trace elements in freshwater rotifers and ciliates by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Author Woelfl, S.; Óvári, M.; Nimptsch, J.; Neu, T.R.; Mages, M.
Source Titel Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy
Year 2016
Department FLOEK
Volume 116
Page From 28
Page To 33
Language englisch
Keywords Trace element analysis; Total reflection X-ray fluorescence; Rotatoria; Ciliates; Bioaccumulation
UFZ wide themes RU2;
Abstract Element determination in plankton is important for the assessment of metal contamination of aquatic environments. Until recently, it has been difficult to determine elemental content in rotifers or ciliates derived from natural plankton samples because of the difficulty in handling and separation of these fragile organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate methods for separation of rotifers and large ciliates from natural plankton samples (μg range dry weight) and subsequent analysis of their elemental content using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). Plankton samples were collected from different aquatic environments (three lakes, one river) in Chile, Argentina and Hungary. From one to eighty specimens of five rotifer species (Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus falcatus, Asplanchna sieboldii, Asplanchna sp., Philodina sp.) and four to twelve specimens of one large ciliate (Stentor amethystinus) were prepared according to the dry method originally developed for microcrustaceans, and analysed by TRXF following in situ microdigestion. Our results demonstrated that it possible to process these small and fragile organisms (individual dry mass: 0.17–9.39 μg ind- 1) via careful washing and preparation procedures. We found species-dependent differences of the element mass fractions for some of the elements studied (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb), especially for Cu, Fe and Mn. One large rotifer species (A. sieboldii) also showed a negative correlation between individual dry weight and the element content for Pb, Ni and Cr. We conclude that our application of the in situ microdigestion-TRXF method is suitable even for rotifers and ciliates, greatly expanding the possibilities for use of plankton in biomonitoring of metal contamination in aquatic environments.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17001
Woelfl, S., Óvári, M., Nimptsch, J., Neu, T.R., Mages, M. (2016):
Determination of trace elements in freshwater rotifers and ciliates by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Spectroc. Acta Pt. B-Atom. Spectr. 116 , 28 - 33 10.1016/j.sab.2015.12.001