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Abstract
Absolute and relative concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) in plant tissue (Cp) and substrate leachate (Cp lix) are required for phytoremediation and ecophysiology. We report the interlaboratory comparison of the absolute and relative Cp and Cp lix for copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) for different soil/substrate HM concentrations (Cs) for Tagetes erecta L.–Glomus intraradices and Aldama dentata using atomic absorption spectrometry, neutron activation analysis, and polarized x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, utilizing standard statistical validation. The intertechnique absolute concentration differences at each Cs were statistically significant with the global average relative deviations being 0.5 ± 0.3 to 1.1 ± 0.9. However, the intertechnique Cp correlations across the Cs, were excellent. Therefore, the relative concentration variation is a robust index, reliably measured by all analytical methods as long as the techniques are applied self-consistently. The absolute concentration exactitudes are discussed with respect to the measurement aspects of each technique, sample presentation, and sample matrix effects. The findings also suggest the need for standard reference materials for complex/symbiotic systems.
Acknowledgments
The authors extend their gratitude to L. Reyes Luna (UTM) for permission to use the PE-100 spectrometer, to H. J. Villegas Moreno (IIQB-UMSNH) for advice on the mycorrhizal experiments, and to M. R. Cisneros (IIM-UMSNH) and L. Carreto (IIQB-UMSNH) for technical assistance. C. J. A., W. A. A., and O. S. C. thank CONACyT of Mexico for their doctoral scholarships, numbered 168355, 350251 and 169682, respectively. N. D. S. is grateful to CONACyT for funding her sabbatical fellowship to the USA by Grant (Proyecto) No. 173076.