title: Absorption edge imaging of bacterial endospores with synchrotron radiation.
abstract: This article describes a new method of viewing biological specimens by taking advantage of the absorptive characteristics of monochromatic X-rays above and below the absorption edge of a specific element. Bacterial endospores were imaged before and after treatment with an experimental vanadium-containing sporocide using monochromatic synchrotron radiation at the nitrogen absorption edge, and above and below the vanadium LIII absorption edge. This morphological study demonstrates a rapid, easy-to-use method of soft X-ray absorption edge imaging that can be used by the biologist to obtain morphological and elemental information that is not readily accessible using conventional microscopic and analytic techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allied Health Resources, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Panessa-Warren
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Tortora
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014965:X-Rays