[X-ray fluorescence spectrum analysis of chemical element for spider and silkworm silk and its applications].
Elemental compositions in spider and silkworm silks were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrum to probe the silk-forming mechanisms and an elemental basis for spider silk with excellent characteristics. XRF analysis demonstrates that in the silkworm silk, the elemental content is 47.10% for C, 29.92% for O and 16. 52% for N, including metal elemental contents: 0.166 2% for Ca, 0.104 0% for Mg and 0.039 5% for K, while Na, Zn, Ni, Fe and Cr show less micro quantity. Due to relative high quantity for Ca and Mg, they both play an important role in the silk-forming mechanism by silkworm. In the spider silk, the determined main nonmetal elemental contents are 44.09% for C, 26.64% for O and 22.34% for N. The high content of nitrogen may be an elemental basis for spider silk with excellent characteristic. The main metal elemental contents are 0.268 0% for Na, 0.081 4% for K and 0.011 6% for Mg, while Ca, Zn, Ni, Cu and Cr possess less micro quantity in the spider silk. Because of relative high quantity for Na and K, they both play an important role in the silk-forming mechanism by spider. The elemental compositions investigated by using mathematic statistic method are quite in agreement with those demonstrated by using XRF spectrum, which validates the experimentally determined elemental compositions in the spider and silkworm silks.
Yuan
Bo
B
Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Medicinal Chemistry of Natural Resource, College of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
Xu
Ze-ren
ZR
Xie
Zhuo-jun
ZJ
Shi
Qiang
Q
Zhang
Xing-kang
XK
Xu
Si-chuan
SC
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx; D005453:Fluorescence; D008670:Metals; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013112:Spiders; D014965:X-Rays
D008670:Metals; D047011:Silk