Abstract
Silica phytoliths are a subgroup of biogenic opal. Silica phytoliths are formed in many plant species and remain preserved in soil and sediments after plant decay. The chemical composition of fossil phytoliths may reveal ancient plant taxa, soil composition and climate. However, actually detailed knowledge on silica phytolith composition is scarce. Here we present result of instrumental neutron activation analysis of barley awns, stems and leaves, and barley phytoliths. The elements of interest were Na, Mg, Al, Si, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Th, and U. We compared three phytolith extraction methods: dry ashing, acid digestion, and acid digestion followed by incineration. We found that sole acid digestion is inefficient to remove organic matter. By contrast both dry ashing and acid digestion followed by incineration are suitable for phytolith analysis. Comparison of phytoliths with their source plant material shows that phytoliths are enriched in terrigenous elements such as Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cs, Fe, rare earth elements, and depleted in the major inorganic constituents of plants such as K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cl and Br.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartoli F, Wilding LP (1980) Dissolution of biogenic opal as a function of its physical and chemical properties. Soil Sci Soc Am J 44:873–878. doi:10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400040043x
Bowen HJM (1979) Environmental chemistry of the elements. Academic Press, London
Carnelli AL, Madella M, Theurillat J-P, Ammann B (2002) Aluminum in the opal silica reticule of phytoliths: a new tool in palaeoecological studies. Am J Bot 89:346–351. doi:10.3732/ajb.89.2.346
Clarke J (2003) The occurrence and significance of biogenic opal in the regolith. Earth Sci Rev 60:175–194. doi:10.1016/S0012-8252(02)00092-2
Hodson MJ, White PJ, Mead A, Broadley MR (2005) Phylogenetic variation in the silicon composition of plants. Ann Bot 96:1027–1046. doi:10.1093/aob/mci255
Hodson MJ, Parker AG, Leng MJ, Sloane HJ (2008) Silicon, oxygen and carbon isotope composition of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) phytoliths: implications for palaeoecology and archaeology. J Quat Sci 23:331–339. doi:10.1002/jqs.1176
Jenkins E (2009) Phytolith taphonomy: a comparison of dry ashing and acid extraction on the breakdown of conjoined phytoliths formed in Triticum durum. J Archaeol Sci 36:2402–2407. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2009.06.028
Jones LHP, Milne AA, Sanders JV (1966) Tabashir: an opal of plant origin. Science 151:464–466. doi:10.1126/science.151.3709.464
Kinnunen KA (1990) Lechatelierite inclusions in indochinites and the origin of tektites. Meteoritics 25:181–184. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1990.tb00994.x
Kučera J, Mizera J, Řanda Z, Vávrová M (2007) Pollution of agricultural crops with lanthanides, thorium and uranium studied by instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 271:581–587. doi:10.1007/s10967-007-0310-2
Liang T, Ding S, Song W, Chong Z, Zhang C, Li H (2008) A review of fractionation of rare earth elements in plants. J Rare Earth 26:7–15. doi:10.1016/S1002-0721(08)60027-7
Mizera J, Řanda Z (2010) Instrumental neutron and photon activation analyses of selected geochemical reference materials. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 284:157–163. doi:10.1007/s10967-010-0447-2
Mizera J, Řanda Z, Borovička J, Kameník J (2010) Biogenic opals—phytoliths—and their role in geochemical, botanical and archaeological research. In: Vobecký M (ed) IAA 09—Radioanalytické metody, proceedings. I. M. Marci Spectroscopic Society, Praha, pp 60–65 (in Czech)
Parr JF, Lentfer CJ, Boyd WE (2001a) A comparative analysis of wet and dry ashing techniques for the extraction of phytoliths from plant material. J Archaeol Sci 28:875–886. doi:10.1006/jasc.2000.0623
Parr JF, Dolic V, Lancaster G, Boyd WE (2001b) A microwave digestion method for the extraction of phytoliths from herbarium specimens. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 116:203–212. doi:10.1016/S0034-6667(01)00089-6
Piperno DR (2006) Phytoliths: a comprehensive guide for archaeologists and paleoecologists. Altamira Press, Oxford
Raven JA, Giordano M (2009) Biomineralization by photosynthetic organisms: evidence of coevolution of the organisms and their environment? Geobiology 7:140–154. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4669.2008.00181.x
Vassilev SV, Baxter D, Andersen LK, Vassileva CG (2010) An overview of the chemical composition of biomass. Fuel 89:913–933. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2009.10.022
Watling KM, Parr JF, Rintoul L, Brown CL, Sullivan LA (2011) Raman, infrared and XPS study of bamboo phytoliths after chemical digestion. Spectrochim Acta Part A 80:106–111. doi:10.1016/j.saa.2011.03.002
Wedepohl HK (1995) The composition of the continental crust. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59:1217–1232. doi:10.1180/minmag.1994.58A.2.234
Wüst RAJ, Bustin RM (2003) Opaline and Al–Si phytoliths from a tropical mire system of West Malaysia: abundance, habit, elemental composition, preservation and significance. Chem Geol 200:267–292. doi:10.1016/S0009-2541(03)00196-7
Wyttenbach A, Tobler L (2002) Soil contamination in plant samples and in botanical reference materials: signature, quantification and consequences. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 254:165–174. doi:10.1023/A:1020818320501
Acknowledgments
We thank Christine Waters for the manuscript proof reading. The research has been supported by the Czech Science Foundation (project number GA205/09/0991).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kameník, J., Mizera, J. & Řanda, Z. Chemical composition of plant silica phytoliths. Environ Chem Lett 11, 189–195 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-012-0396-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-012-0396-9