Mossbauer study of iron in the tomato plant

The chemical states of iron in a tomato plant cultivated with a nutrient solution containing enriched 57Fe have been studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy. The Mossbauer spectra show that iron in the seeds, leaves, stems, and roots is exclusively in the trivalent high-spin state. The isomer shifts are similar in all parts of the plant, but the quadrupole splitting is smaller in the seeds than in the leaves, stems, and roots. The Mossbauer parameters are compared with those of iron compounds isolated from other plants so far.