Investigation of effects of cadmium, lead, nickel and vanadium contamination on the uptake and transport processes in cucumber plants by TXRF spectrometry

Uptake and transport processes of some essential nutrient elements (K, Ca, Fe, Mn and Zn) in cucumber plants grown in contamination-free or in contaminated (10 −5 M Cd, Ni, Pb or V) nutrient solutions containing iron in the chemical form of Fe(III)-citrate, Fe(III)-EDTA or Fe-chloride were studied by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). The root samples were dissolved using a microwave assisted acidic digestion procedure, while the xylem sap samples were directly analysed after addition of internal standard. It was established that the accumulation in the roots and the transport rate of the four heavy metals investigated increase in order of V