The study of the ionome (ionomics) is defined as quantitative and simultaneous measurement of the element composition of living organisms and changes in this composition in response to physiological stimuli, development stage, and genetic modifications (Salt et al., Ann. Rev. Plant Biol., Vol. 59, 2008). The necessity of understanding the regulation processes of elements in the organisms demands determination of many elements in the organism, tissue, and cell (Baxter, Plant Biol., Vol. 12, 2009). A prospect for ionomics is environmental pollution where great variety of conditions and pollutants exist resulting in concentration and interelemental changes in the plant ionome. The capabilities of and problems with several multielement analytical techniques, including instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), X-ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), which are adequate and most promising in ionomic and environmental studies of plants, are reviewed. References are confined mainly to the last 10–15 years. Information about concentrations, roles, binding forms, and pollution sources of the elements and comparison between methods with respect to limits of detection, determined elements, interferences, and economic considerations are tabulated. Some combinations of instrumental techniques supplementing each other are highly valued, namely, ICP-MS and ICP-AES and INAA and AAS or ICP-AES.

The introduction of catalytic converters has led to a new environmental problem since catalysts emit platinum group elements (PGEs) which are among the least distributed elements in nature. Along with PGEs the vehicle exhaust catalysts contain also a number of stabilizers, commonly oxides of rare earth elements and alkaline earth elements such as Ce, La and Zr. Since vehicular emission of these elements has received little attention so far this work attempts to offer insight into their distribution and fate in the environment by measuring their speciation in road dust samples collected along several highways in Germany and a city centre (Saarbrücken). Speciation of the elements (fractionation into associated mineralogical phases) was carried out via a conventional sequential extraction protocol and the complexing abilities of humic substances in the organic matter were investigated by selective extraction methods in combination with size segregation. For evaluation purposes soil samples spiked with catalytic converter material were analyzed, showing a much lower fraction of Ce, La and Zr mobilized in comparison to the road dust samples. It was found that the elements were effectively bound to humic substances in road dust with a preference for complexation with low molecular weight compounds (<1600 Da).

An ICP-MS method for determination of 60 elements in plant samples is proposed based on optimization of digestion, recommending use of HF besides HNO₃ and H₂O₂ and calibration procedures, using CRMs for construction of calibration curves. Adequate choice of analytical isotopes and various measurement conditions (cold plasma for the determination of Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Si and Sr and DRC mode for determination of Ag, As, Ni, Pd, Pt, Se and V) as well as introduction of appropriate corrections lead to determination of as large number of elements with quadropole ICP-MS as with the more expensive SF-ICP-MS. Two measurements are performed: cold plasma and standard/DRC mode. The analytical characteristics of the method are demonstrated by analysis of five CRMs and the agreement of the experimental results with the certified/information/literature values is very good. Detection limits are low enough to permit the determination of all elements but platinum metals at background level. The applicability of the method is demonstrated by analysis of Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) samples collected from regions with different anthropogenic influence. The results indicate high degree of pollution round the Pb-Zn smelter with As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn and increased concentrations of B, Be, Bi, Hg, In, Mn, Sb, Se, Sn, Ti, Tl, V and Zr. The dandelion sample, collected along a highway has increased concentrations of traffic released elements: Pt, Pd, Rh, Ce, La, Pb as well as Cu, Zn, Ba and Rb.

Biological treatment is a key technology in landfill leachate treatment However, often its efficiency is not high enough due to the pollutants in concentrations above the critical ones. The present study aimed to investigate the adaptive responses that occur in activated sludge (AS) during landfill leachate purification. A model process with AS from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and landfill leachate in increasing concentrations was constructed. The data showed that when dilutions 25 and 50 times had been applied the structure of the AS was preserved, but the COD cannot be reduced below 209 mg O₂/L. The feed of undiluted leachate destroyed the AS structure as SVI was reduced to 1 mL/g, biotic index to 1, floc size was greatly reduced and COD remained high (2526 mg O₂/L). The dominant group of protozoa was changed from attached to free-swimming ciliates. An increase of the bacterial groups responsible for the xenobiotics elimination (aerobic heterotrophs, genera Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Azoarcus, Thauera, Alcaligenes) was registered. This was accompanied by a significant increase in free bacteria. The obtained data showed that for optimal treatment of this type of water it is necessary to include a combination of biological treatment with another non-biological method (membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, etc.).

Fifteen samples of medieval glazed pottery from Drastar (present day Silistra), Bulgaria, dated between 10th and 18th centuries AD were studied. The element concentration of the glazes was determined by Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Proton Induced Gamma Emission (PIGE) analysis. The composition of the clay bodies was studied by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) after pelletization of the powdered clay. In addition, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was used for characterization of the clay bodies.After subtraction of the PbO and CuO content, the comparison between the compositions of the clay bodies and the glazes revealed that both the calcareous and the non-calcareous samples were glazed using lead oxide by itself followed by firing in oxidizing atmosphere. Furthermore, it was shown that iron, copper and manganese oxides were used to achieve the desired colors.