Dissolved atmospheric gas in xylem sap measured with membrane inlet mass spectrometry

A new method is described for measuring dissolved gas concentrations in small volumes of xylem sap using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. The technique can be used to determine concentrations of atmospheric gases, such as argon, as reported here, or for any dissolved gases and their isotopes for a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant, cell and environment cell and environment, 2016-04, Vol.39 (4), p.944-950
Main Authors: Schenk, H. Jochen, Espino, Susana, Visser, Ate, Esser, Bradley K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
argon
Argon - analysis
Atmosphere - chemistry
dissolved gas
Gases - analysis
Mass Spectrometry - methods
membrane inlet mass spectrometry
Membranes, Artificial
Plant Exudates - chemistry
Plant Stems - physiology
Pressure
Solubility
Temperature
Water
Xylem - chemistry
xylem embolism repair
xylem sap
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Summary:A new method is described for measuring dissolved gas concentrations in small volumes of xylem sap using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. The technique can be used to determine concentrations of atmospheric gases, such as argon, as reported here, or for any dissolved gases and their isotopes for a variety of applications, such as rapid detection of trace gases from groundwater only hours after they were taken up by trees and rooting depth estimation. Atmospheric gas content in xylem sap directly affects the conditions and mechanisms that allow for gas removal from xylem embolisms, because gas can dissolve into saturated or supersaturated sap only under gas pressure that is above atmospheric pressure. The method was tested for red trumpet vine, Distictis buccinatoria (Bignoniaceae), by measuring atmospheric gas concentrations in sap collected at times of minimum and maximum daily temperature and during temperature increase and decline. Mean argon concentration in xylem sap did not differ significantly from saturation levels for the temperature and pressure conditions at any time of collection, but more than 40% of all samples were supersaturated, especially during the warm parts of day. There was no significant diurnal pattern, due to high variability between samples.
ISSN:0140-7791
1365-3040
DOI:10.1111/pce.12678