please give me advice. I want to trace polymer molecules in plant roots using FTIR. what is the correct method for turning my root sample into powder (solid sample) without damaging the polymer? I hope for your advice
You haven't given us much information. What is the "polymer"? Does it need to be extracted from the root tissue first or can it be assayed while still in the root matrix?
If a crude root preparation is all that is required then freeze the fresh tissue in liquid nitrogen, freeze dry and grind up as finely as required for the FTIR measurement. If the background root matrix obscures the measurement of your "polymer" then you will need to do some purification from the root tissue. Just exactly how you go about this process will depend very much on the nature of the "polymer"?
You haven't given us much information. What is the "polymer"? Does it need to be extracted from the root tissue first or can it be assayed while still in the root matrix?
If a crude root preparation is all that is required then freeze the fresh tissue in liquid nitrogen, freeze dry and grind up as finely as required for the FTIR measurement. If the background root matrix obscures the measurement of your "polymer" then you will need to do some purification from the root tissue. Just exactly how you go about this process will depend very much on the nature of the "polymer"?
I don't know what plant roots you mean, how large they are, or whether the tissue is lignified or not. But for simplicity I'm going to assume they are seedlings of flowering plants (e.g. Arabidopsis) and you want cell wall polysaccharides.
Separate the (colourless) roots from the (green) shoots with a scalpel, put them in a mortar with liquid nitrogen, and grind with the pestle. You will need thick gloves and eye protection and to work in a well-ventilated area. Keep adding nitrogen as necessary, to keep the sample at low temperature while grinding. Transfer your powder to a falcon tube or eppendorf (depending on size) and keep cool on ice.
The growing plant cell wall: chemical and metabolic analysis (Stephen C. Fry, Blackburn Press, 1st or 2nd Edition) chapter 1 gives several alternative methods for preparation of plant polymer material. Chapter 3 gives methods for sequential extraction of polysaccharides (with or without degradation).
Thank you for the advice Dr Charles H Hocart and Dr Sally Burr , I want to trace the presence of nanoplastics in the breath roots of mangrove plants. the "polymer" what I mean is a plastic polymer
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