[Analysis of pine pollen by using FTIR, SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis]

Abstract

Infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were used to analyze nutrients in four pine pollen powder samples. The IR fingerprints showed that each of the samples, pinus massoniana, pinus yunnanensis, pinus tabulaeformis, and pinus densiflora, respectively had its own characteristic infrared spectrum. Based on the difference of the relative intensity of those characteristic absorption peaks, the IR fingerprints can be used for the identification of the four kinds of pine pollen samples. The broken pollen of pinus was more easily to release nutritional components for the distinct difference IR fingerprints of natural and broken masson pine pollen samples. As a result of SEM, four kinds of pollen grains were oblong or subspheroidal in distal face and proximal face. The exine sculpture of the four kinds of samples were granulous and almost the same, but there was some difference of the size of pollen grains. The main morphologic change of the broken pollen was that the air bags were separated from pollen particles, and part of the main body of pollen particles was broken. The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis results showed that eleven elements, including Mg, Se, Si, Sr, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, and Fe, existed and the highest content in pollen of pinus was K element. The contents of trace elements were different in different kinds of pollen of pinus. The element intensity in broken masson pine pollen was distinctlyhigher than that innatural masson pine pollen.