Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1961. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-60).

Bibliography: leaves 80-102. Investigates the mechanism of uptake of cobalt into plants and the physiological effect. Experiments were conducted with mung beans grown in solution culture but comparision was also made with giant alga, Chara corallina.

Analytical methods were developed and validated for the determination of the total concentration of trace elements (Se, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg, Ca, Mn, Mo, I, Cd and Pb) and the various organic and inorganic selenium species present in human body fluids. Total elemental analysis involved the use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Speciation analysis utilised ion-pair high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled on-line to a hexapole collision cell ICP-MS. The methods that were developed were then applied to three separate studies. The effect of psychological stress on human fertility was determined by comparing the trace element levels in blood serum from 47 infertile women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Elemental data was compared with stress-hormone (plasma prolactin and serum cortisol) levels and Spielberger stress questionnaires. Statistical analysis showed no relationship between stress-hormones and blood serum trace element levels and that stress-hormones do not have an adverse effect on human fertility. A further study examined the total trace element levels of blood serum, follicular fluid, endometrial fluid and scalp hair from a study population of 97 women aged between 24 - 44 years undergoing IVF treatment. Selenium levels in blood serum were significantly lower in IVF patients in contrast to 18 (age and gender matched) control cases (P = 0.001, 35 degrees of freedom). This was in agreement with a previous study with infertile women, aged < 35 years. Zinc and manganese were determined in endometrial fluid, both showing a high degree of correlation (P = 0.001, 17 degrees of freedom) in the IVF population (no control samples were available for analysis). The levels of each element measured in scalp hair showed no correlation with the levels determined in any other matrix. A major contribution of this research involved speciation analysis of selenium in blood serum, seminal plasma and urine. Commercial selenium supplements were consumed over 28 days and the effect that this had on selenium levels (total and species) within the human body fluids was investigated. Consumption caused an increase in the levels of selenium within all human body fluids and in general, the total level of selenium was found to be higher than the sum of the species present. An in-vitro bioavailability procedure was performed on the supplements and showed that two selenium yeast commercial products contained different selenium species. Some selenium species were identified and the implications of this are discussed.

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A summary of the fundamental principles which form the basis of proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis, proton induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been given which is followed by a brief description of the experimental facilities used in this work and their characterization. Knowledge of optimum experimental conditions is always helpful, therefore a programme has been developed to simulate the PIXE spectra and its uses have been described. Reference materials with certified elemental concentrations play an important role in ensuring the accuracy of the elemental analysis work. The FIXE technique has been applied to the analysis of new biological reference materials which consist of IAEA human diet samples and NIST leaf samples, to be introduced in the future. Homogeneity of these and two existing reference materials that is, IAEA soil-7 and Bowen's kale has also been determined at the mug scale. A subsample representative of a material is ascertained by determination of sampling factors for the elements detected in the material. Use of PIXE has been established in experimentally obtaining sampling factors for the above mentioned materials. PIGE analysis in conjunction with PIXE has been employed to investigate F and other elemental concentrations found in human teeth samples. The mean F concentration in enamel and dentine parts of teeth followed an age dependent model. The lowest F concentrations were observed in two out of three careous teeth. Concentrations of Ca and P were found to be higher in the enamel than in the dentine in all the teeth analyzed. Analysis of blood and its components in the study of elemental models in sickle cell disease in Nigerians has been carried out. A total of eight elements were detected. Comparision was made between controls and diseased groups which revealed that Cl, Ca and Cu were at significantly higher levels whereas K, Fe, Zn and Rb were at significantly lower levels in the whole blood of the sicklers as compared to the controls. Similar results were obtained for the erythrocytes except that Br was also found at significantly higher concentration in erythrocytes of the sicklers. Significantly higher concentrations of Cl, K, Fe and Cu were also observed in plasma of the sicklers as compared to that of the controls. Elemental status of the normal controls was found to be comparable to that of the Uzbekistanians (USSR) and North Americans but was better than that of the Bangladeshi population. PIXE and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in the characterization of the Harmattan dust particulates collected at Kano and Ife, two cities of Nigeria. Most of the elements were found to be at higher concentrations as compared to those found in Recife (Brazil) and Toronto (Canada). The value of total suspended particulate matter (TSPM) at both collection sites was also above the relevant national (USA) air quality standards. FIXE in conjunction with RBS and INAA was employed in the analysis of soil samples taken at various depths from within and around two cement factories in Nigeria thereby detecting 31 elements. The results have been discussed with reference to elemental concentrations and Ca/Si ratio. The latter was found to offer a valid indicator of soil pollution by the cement dust.

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Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Chemistry / unrestricted

Les sols industriels ayant des contaminations multiples (HAP, ETM) posent des problèmes pour leur traitement car les techniques disponibles (ex. biopile, désorption thermique) ne diminuent pas l’ensemble de la pollution et modifient les propriétés physico-chimiques et biologiques du sol. La phytoremédiation peut être une technique alternative de traitement. Les objectifs de ce travail étaient (i) de caractériser les propriétés biologiques de sols contaminés ou traités par biopile ou par désorption thermique, (i) d’évaluer l’effet de la mycorhization et de la fertilisation sur la capacité de la luzerne à croître sur des sols avant et après remédiation (ii) d’étudier la dynamique des polluants dans la rhizosphère de plantes mycorhizées ou non et de caractériser les communautés microbiennes. Les sols étudiés proviennent de sites industriels contaminés en HAP et dans une moindre mesure en ETM. Des cultures de luzerne inoculée ou non par un champignon MA et/ou fertilisée ont montré que la survie et la croissance de la plante étaient dépendantes de la mycorhization. Les teneurs et la disponibilité des HAP dans la rhizosphère ont diminué en présence de plante tandis que le champignon MA, qui n’a pas d’effet sur la teneur en HAP. Différentes techniques (dénombrement, PCR-TTGE, PCR en temps réel) ont montré l’impact de la remédiation sur la microflore bactérienne et fongique du sol. Les résultats indiquent la nécessité de prendre en compte les caractéristiques physicochimiques et biologiques des sols contaminés et des sols traités. L’association plante-champignons MA sont certainement déterminants pour la remédiation et la restauration des propriétés de ces sols. / Former industrial multicontaminated soils (PAH, MTE) pose problems for their treatment because remediation techniques (e.g. biopile, thermal desorption) do not eliminate completely pollutants and because its could be affected physicochemical and biological soil properties. Phytoremediation technologies could be a strategy for polluted soils restoration. The aims of this study were (i) to characterize the biological properties of contaminated soils before and after remediation treatments (biopile and thermal desorption), (ii) to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal fungi and nutrients on the growth of alfalfa on contaminated soils before and after remediation treatments, (iii) to study the dynamics of the pollutants in mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plant rhizosphere and to characterize the microbial communities. We used industrial soils contaminated with PAH and to a lesser extent with MTE. .In pot experiments, the soils were inoculated or not with AM fungi and fertilised or not. These experiments showed that the survival and the growth of the plant on the contaminated and treated soils were dependent on the mycorhization. The PAH contents and availability in the rhizosphere decreased in these experiments though the AM fungi had no effect on the PAH contents. Various techniques (enumeration, PCR-TTGE, real-time PCR) showed the impact of the remediation treatments on the bacterial and the fungal population in soils. These results highlight the necessity to know the physico-chemical and the biological characteristics of the contaminated soils and the treated soils. The plant-MA fungi association are decisive for the remediation and the restoration of the soils properties.