Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae
family

k 2025

Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family

HORÁKOVÁ, Nicole a Jan CEMPÍREK

Základní údaje

Originální název

Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family

Název česky

Mineralogie hydrátů šťavelanu vápenatého v rostlinách čeledi Araceae

Název anglicky

Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family

Autoři

HORÁKOVÁ, Nicole a Jan CEMPÍREK

Vydání

International Conference of Young Geologists, 2025

Další údaje

Typ výsledku

Prezentace na konferencích

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Klíčová slova česky

šťavelan vápenatý, whewellit, weddellit, caoxit, rostliny

Klíčová slova anglicky

calcium oxalate, whewellite, weddellite, caoxite, plants

Změněno: 5. 5. 2025 12:52, Mgr. Nicole Horáková

Anotace

V originále

In nature, Ca-oxalates are represented by three hydrated forms: whewellite (CaC2O4 · H2O; COM), weddellite (CaC2O4 · 2H2O; COD), and caoxite (CaC2O4 · 3H2O; COT). Calcium oxalate is very common in plants. Although their morphology has been studied, their mineralogy and characterization using analytical methods, such as Raman spectroscopy, require more detailed work. This study aims to provide the very first data on CaOx hydrates speciation in plants of the Araceae family acquired directly in plant tissues using Raman spectroscopy. The main part of the research focused on identifying CaOx in plant sections using Raman spectroscopy (for determination of CaOx hydrates and crystal form) and polarized light microscopy (for better understanding the crystal formation in plant body). Based on the previous orientation research (Horáková, 2022), 10 plant species were selected from the Araceae family.The polarizing microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used for CaOx crystal morphology analysis. The CaOx crystals were observed in 5 crosscuts per plant body of each species from the Araceae family. Three crosscuts from a single plant leaf (leaf edge, leaf middle part, and leaf part next to the main vein) and two from petiole parts (upper and lower part) were used. In the transmitted light under the polarizing microscope, only idioblasts with raphides, druses, and crystalline sand were identified. On the other hand, dipyramids, prisms and square-like aggregates were not observed. Therefore, the variability of morphological types is lower than in the data coming from the reflected-light microscope attached to the Raman spectrometer. The most common morphological types in plants of the Araceae family are raphides and druses, which primarily consist of COM. Other, less common types such as dipyramids, prisms, and round or square aggregates, are typically composed of COD. The least frequently represent types were calcium oxalate trihydrate (COT) structures, including crystal sand and round or square aggregates. In plant leaves, calcium oxalate morphological types such as raphides and druses (composed of COM) were most prevalent. The same as in leaves, also in plant petioles, which were studied in two different crosscuts in each plant, raphides and druses (composed of COM) were the most abundant, along with minor crystal sand and round/square aggregates (all COM, COD, and COT). In plants from the family Araceae, the calcium oxalate (CaOx) morphological types varied among species, with each species producing its own distinct combination of types. The most commonly observed types were raphides, druses, and crystal sand. Raphides were more prevalent than druses in the leaves of most plants, but the number of druses was slightly higher in some species (especially in Monstera deliciosa). Druses were observed more in the middle part of the leaves and in nearly the same amounts as raphides in the part next to the main vein. Crystal sand was found in minimal amounts in plant leaves. In contrast, the petiole mostly produced druses in the upper part (nearly in the same amounts as raphides), followed by the most production of raphides in the lower part of the petiole, and then crystal sand, with similar proportions in both parts. When comparing leaf and petiole occurrences, druses were more common in the leaf parts, while raphides were more prevalent in the petiole. In two representatives of the same species, a specific morphological form could occur in one representative only and it might be absent in the other. This discrepancy could stem from various factors, with environmental differences (Eco and Belonias, 2017; Coté et al., 2012) being the most apparent. This study allowed further research of the CaOx cycle and the impact of the environment on the formation of CaOx; more studies would be, of course, essential for a more comprehensive understanding.

Citovat

HORÁKOVÁ, Nicole a Jan CEMPÍREK. Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family. In International Conference of Young Geologists. 2025.

@proceedings{2494904,
   author = {Horáková, Nicole and Cempírek, Jan},
   booktitle = {International Conference of Young Geologists},
   keywords = {calcium oxalate, whewellite, weddellite, caoxite, plants},
   title = {Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family},
   year = {2025}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2494904
AU  - Horáková, Nicole - Cempírek, Jan
PY  - 2025
TI  - Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family
KW  - calcium oxalate, whewellite, weddellite, caoxite, plants
N2  - In nature, Ca-oxalates are represented by three hydrated forms: whewellite (CaC2O4 · H2O; COM), weddellite (CaC2O4 · 2H2O; COD), and caoxite (CaC2O4 · 3H2O; COT). Calcium oxalate is very common in plants. Although their morphology has been studied, their mineralogy and characterization using analytical methods, such as Raman spectroscopy, require more detailed work. This study aims to provide the very first data on CaOx hydrates speciation in plants of the Araceae family acquired directly in plant tissues using Raman spectroscopy. The main part of the research focused on identifying CaOx in plant sections using Raman spectroscopy (for determination of CaOx hydrates and crystal form) and polarized light microscopy (for better understanding the crystal formation in plant body). Based on the previous orientation research (Horáková, 2022), 10 plant species were selected from the Araceae family.The polarizing microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used for CaOx crystal morphology analysis. The CaOx crystals were observed in 5 crosscuts per plant body of each species from the Araceae family. Three crosscuts from a single plant leaf (leaf edge, leaf middle part, and leaf part next to the main vein) and two from petiole parts (upper and lower part) were used. In the transmitted light under the polarizing microscope, only idioblasts with raphides, druses, and crystalline sand were identified. On the other hand, dipyramids, prisms and square-like aggregates were not observed. Therefore, the variability of morphological types is lower than in the data coming from the reflected-light microscope attached to the Raman spectrometer. The most common morphological types in plants of the Araceae family are raphides and druses, which primarily consist of COM. Other, less common types such as dipyramids, prisms, and round or square aggregates, are typically composed of COD. The least frequently represent types were calcium oxalate trihydrate (COT) structures, including crystal sand and round or square aggregates. In plant leaves, calcium oxalate morphological types such as raphides and druses (composed of COM) were most prevalent. The same as in leaves, also in plant petioles, which were studied in two different crosscuts in each plant, raphides and druses (composed of COM) were the most abundant, along with minor crystal sand and round/square aggregates (all COM, COD, and COT). In plants from the family Araceae, the calcium oxalate (CaOx) morphological types varied among species, with each species producing its own distinct combination of types. The most commonly observed types were raphides, druses, and crystal sand. Raphides were more prevalent than druses in the leaves of most plants, but the number of druses was slightly higher in some species (especially in Monstera deliciosa). Druses were observed more in the middle part of the leaves and in nearly the same amounts as raphides in the part next to the main vein. Crystal sand was found in minimal amounts in plant leaves. In contrast, the petiole mostly produced druses in the upper part (nearly in the same amounts as raphides), followed by the most production of raphides in the lower part of the petiole, and then crystal sand, with similar proportions in both parts. When comparing leaf and petiole occurrences, druses were more common in the leaf parts, while raphides were more prevalent in the petiole. In two representatives of the same species, a specific morphological form could occur in one representative only and it might be absent in the other. This discrepancy could stem from various factors, with environmental differences (Eco and Belonias, 2017; Coté et al., 2012) being the most apparent. This study allowed further research of the CaOx cycle and the impact of the environment on the formation of CaOx; more studies would be, of course, essential for a more comprehensive understanding.
ER  -

HORÁKOVÁ, Nicole a Jan CEMPÍREK. Mineralogy of calcium oxalate hydrates in plants of the Araceae family. In \textit{International Conference of Young Geologists}. 2025.

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