Abstract
Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis and micro X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis were used for the nondestructive analysis of Cd distribution and chemical form of Cd at a cellular scale in the plant (Arabidopsis halleri ssp. emmifera) in order to investigate the accumulation mechanism of Cd. It was clearly observed by two-dimensional micro-XRF imaging that Cd was highly accumulated in a part of the trichomes, epidermal hairs existing at the surface of leaves. The bases of trichomes contained Cd and Zn at a high concentration and these distribution patterns were similar to each other. The micro-XANES analysis revealed that the majority of Cd exists as divalent state and bound to O ligands. This study has demonstrated the potential of Cd K-edge micro-XANES spectroscopy, which was applied here for the first time to plant samples.
