Applied Microscopy (Dec 2022)

Analysis of composition and microstructure of diatom frustules in mud on the coast of Boryeong- city, South Korea

  • Mi Kyung Bok,
  • Chung Hwa Chin,
  • Hee Jung Choi,
  • Ju Hyun Ham,
  • Byung Soo Chang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42649-022-00082-1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 52, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract The microstructure of diatom frustules found in mud sediments along the coast of Boryeong- city, South Korea, was observed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the constituent elements of diatoms were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Diatom frustules and clay minerals were present in the SEM images of the mud powder. High-magnification SEM images revealed that the surface of the frustules contained identically shaped circular pores, measuring 1 μm in diameter, arranged at regular intervals. This study revealed that the diatom shell fragments in the mud powder ranged in size from 3 to 30 μm, with an average thickness of approximately 2.5 μm. The elements Si, Al, Fe, K, Na, Mg, and Ti were detected while analyzing the frustule constituents, with Si being the primary component with the highest content.

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