A new two-step screening method for prospecting of trace element accumulating plants

A vulnerable point of the currently used approach to the search for the new species capable of abnormal accumulation (hyperaccumulation) of trace elements is that most studies have been conducted in laboratory conditions and focused on the determination of a limited number of elements. We propose a methodology that enables screening for multi-element accumulating plants. This methodology is based on two analytical steps: a semiquantitative analysis mode by ICP-MS that allows selection of plant samples which are enriched in one or more trace elements, and a quantitative analysis necessary for confirmation of the results derived from the first step. The proposed methodology was tested in the study of 30 plant samples. Ten elements with the highest concentrations obtained in the semiquantitative analyses were determined quantitatively with the following detection limits (in mg/kg): 0.001 for Ag, 0.08 for Ba, 0.002 for Cd, 0.005 for Co, 0.01 for Cr, 0.003 for Cu, 1.4 for Fe, 0.012 for Mn, 0.03 for Ni, 0.006 for Pb, 0.001 for Sc, 0.001 for Tl and 0.06 for Zn. The CRM recovery values obtained were in the range of 80–103 %, and the precision of the measurements (as RSD) was in the range of 0.34–4.05 %. We also propose a simple method for evaluation of typical element concentrations in plants collected for analyses. Our approach provides a novel screening method for both identification of new hyperaccumulators and for studying a larger number of elements accumulated by plants. This method may find its application in environmental biotechnology.