Thank you all for your help and advice concerning out efforts to
detect cadmium uptake in the Azola variety of aquatic grass. We have
managed to get the NMR side of things sorted out but have not
obtained the results hoped for.
Other analytical methods show that Cd is indeed taken up. We needed
NMR to suggest which part of the grass' cells was involved with the
uptake.
So far our problems seem to be in sample preparation. The finely
ground freeze dried grass settles out quite rapidly. So far the best
results have been obtained by running for about 30 minutes, halting,
giving the sample a good shake up, and then continuing acquisition
using Bruker's 'go' command. There are tantalizing signs of possible
broad peaks near the main 113 CD resonance but they are not quite
repeatable.
Right now we are thinking about some other method of sample
preparation which might keep the material in suspension for longer
without spoiling the NMR spectrum. Agar has been suggested.
This is just the promised report-back but, naturally, any further
suggestions ill be very welcome.
Sincerely
Andy
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Andy Soper.
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Electronics Section.
Rhodes University. P. O. Box 94, 6140 Grahamstown,
South Africa (The 'Rainbow People' Country).
Voice: +27 (0)461 318412 [with answering service]
Cellular Phone +27 (0)82 776 1692
FAX: +27 (0)461 311205
Internet: paas@giraffe.ru.ac.za