Infrared Monitoring of Dinitrotoluenes in Sunflower and Maize Roots

Infrared microspectroscopy (IMS) is emerging as an important analytical tool for the structural analysis of biological tissue. This report describes the use of IMS coupled to a synchrotron source combined with principal components analysis (PCA) to monitor the fate and effect of dinitrotoluenes in the roots of maize and sunflower plants. Infrared imaging revealed that maize roots metabolized 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 2,6-DNT. The DNTs and their derivative aromatic amines were predominantly associated with epidermis and xylem. Both isomers of DNT altered the structure and production of pectin and pectic polysaccharides in maize and sunflower plant roots. Infrared peaks diagnostic for aromatic amines were seen at the 5 mg L-1 concentrations for both DNTs in maize and sunflower treated tissue. However, only infrared peaks for nitro groups, not aromatic amines, were present in the maize treated at 10 mg L-1. For sunflower, the 10 mg L-1 level was toxic and also produced very dark root systems making spectra difficult to obtain. Maize and sunflower seem unable to metabolize effectively at concentrations higher than about 5 mg L-1 DNT in hydroponic solution. Based on the results of this study, IMS combined with PCA can be an effective means of determining the fate and metabolism of organic contaminants in plant tissue when isotopically labeled compounds are not available.