title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the effect of zeolite on lithium uptake in poplar.
abstract: The use of a zeolite (clinoptilolite) to protect poplar plants from lithium-contaminated soil has been studied using magnetic resonance imaging. Lithium was used as a model contaminant as it could be tracked directly using specific nuclear magnetic resonance probes, rather than relying on relaxation time effects on protons due to paramagnetic solutes. The sorption of lithium to the zeolite was investigated both in static and dynamic systems; lithium was found to sorb readily to the zeolite over time. Poplar plants were grown in soil microcosms consisting of either sand or sand and zeolite with nutrients provided through the use of Hoagland's solution as the pore fluid. Both one-dimensional profiles of lithium concentration along poplar stems and direct lithium imaging of stem cross-sections were employed to reveal the uptake of the contaminant into the plant structure, showing significantly less lithium present in plants grown in sand and zeolite than those grown in sand alone. Evidence of structural features involved in the uptake of lithium was also obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK. harbottlem@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Harbottle
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mantle
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Herwijnen
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Tabbaa
authors.forename: Tony R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Hutchings
authors.forename: Andy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Moffat
authors.forename: Sabeha K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ouki
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption / Q000187:drug effects; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D032107:Populus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016062:Porosity / Q000187:drug effects; D012996:Solutions; D017641:Zeolites / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D017641:Zeolites; D008094:Lithium