Analysis of metal-containing granules in the barnacle Tetraclita squamosa.
Metal-containing granules were isolated from specimens of the barnacle Tetraclita squamosa collected from a metal contaminated site in Hong Kong. The chemical composition, crystallographic and morphological properties of the deposits were analysed by X-ray powder diffraction, electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis by X-rays and infrared spectroscopy. The most abundant metals were iron, calcium and zinc and the major anion was phosphate. Oxalates, carbonates and sulfur derivates were also found in small amounts. The deposits were amorphous to X-ray and electron diffraction and were approximately spherical in shape with diameters between 100 and 500 nm.
Masala
Ombretta
O
Manchester Materials Science Centre and Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. masala@engineering.ucsb.edu
O'Brien
Paul
P
Rainbow
Philip S
PS
D000818:Animals; D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D001468:Thoracica / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000838:Anions; D008670:Metals