PIXE determination of element distribution in Fomes fomentarius

The element distribution in the fruit body of a wood-rotting fungus was studied. Samples of Fomes fomentarius were collected in nature, together with bark and a piece of substrate wood. For PIXE analysis, slices were cut from the fruit body. The slices were analyzed using a proton beam at many points from the fruit body surface to the core, or across the fruit-substrate interface. The analysis was performed with an external proton beam in a low-pressure nitrogen atmosphere; 9-12 elements heavier than silicon were found above the limit of quantitation. Manganese showed interesting systematic behavior. The suitability and usefulness of PIXE analysis for studying the distribution of heavy elements in fruit bodies of wood-rotting fungi are discussed. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.