[X-ray fluorescence spectrum studies on bioorganic carbon in cereals and carbon chemical circulation]

Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi. 2011 May;31(5):1428-34.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

The bioorganic carbon contents and chemical element compositions in six kinds of cereals: paddy (rice), wheat (flour), soybean, millet, sorghum and corn were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrum, meanwhile a new method was established to probe their protein contents. In the cereals, the average bioorganic carbon content is about 440%. The highest protein content is 42.74% from soybean, and other protein content is 28.56% in millet, 27.57% in wheat, 24.99% in corn, 22.21% in sorghum, but only 20.31% in rice. Based on our new definition of carbon chemical circulation presented in the current work, the authors have found that in 2009 humankind used bioorganic carbon to discharge CO2 into the earth's atmosphere that accounts for one percent of the total CO2 discharge, and consumed organic carbon to release CO2 into the earth's atmosphere, accounting for 10.73% of the total CO2 discharge. The clear definition of carbon chemical circulation and the discharged CO2 content from the distinct types of carbon compounds would advance the study on carbon chemical circulation and the atmospheric CO2 greenhouse effect. Our work further found that it takes eight years to circulate the total earth's atmospheric CO2. The short period shows the sensitivity for CO2 to keep its dynamical equilibrium in the earth's atmosphere. However, no experimental data has been reported to prove a heavy destructive greenhouse effect of CO2 existing in the earth's atmosphere.

MeSH terms

  • Atmosphere
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Edible Grain / chemistry*
  • Fluorescence
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission*

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Carbon