title: Chemical-physical characterization of isolated plant cuticles subjected to low-dose γ-irradiation.
abstract: Isolated tomato fruit cuticles were subjected to low dose (80Gy) γ-irradiation, as a potential methodology to prevent harvested fruit and vegetables spoilage. Both irradiated and non-irradiated samples have been morphologically and chemically characterized by scanning electron (SEM), atomic force (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies. Additionally, electrochemical measurements comprising membrane potential and diffusive permeability were carried out to detect modifications in transport properties of the cuticle as the fruit primary protective membrane. It has been found that low dose γ-irradiation causes some textural changes on the surface but no significant chemical modification. Texture modification is found to be due to a partial removal of outermost (epicuticular) waxes which is accompanied by mild changes of electrochemical parameters such as the membrane fixed charge, cation transport number and salt permeability. The modification of such parameters indicates a slight reduction of the barrier properties of the cuticle upon low dose γ-irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, Centro Mixto CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Americo Vespuccio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain. ja.heredia@csic.es
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Heredia-Guerrero
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Lara
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heredia
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benavente
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Benítez
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005720:Gamma Rays; D017136:Ion Transport; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012492:Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014885:Waxes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D012492:Salts; D014885:Waxes