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Comparison of trace elements in freshwater pearls cultured in Japan, China, and USA

Ikuko Sakakura

Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Nara Women’s University, Kitauoyanishi-machi, Nara 630-8506, Japan

E-mail Address: sakakurai@eos.ocn.ne.jp

Corresponding author.

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Hidetsugu Tsuchida

Quantum Science and Engineering Center, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan

Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8530, Japan

E-mail Address: tsuchida@nucleng.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Corresponding author.

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Yoshitaka Sasaki

Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan

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, and

Misako Miwa

Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S0129083519500189Cited by:2 (Source: Crossref)

This article is part of the issue:

Proceedings of the 35th PIXE Symposium in Japan, Tokyo, 13–15 November 2019

Abstract

In this paper, we performed PIXE analysis of trace elements in freshwater pearls cultured in four different areas: Lake Biwa (Japan), Lake Kasumigaura (Japan), an unidentified lake in China, and Kentucky Lake (USA). We investigated the difference of trace elements contained in the four pearls from different aquaculture environments. The observed trace elements are Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Sr. The major trace elements are Mn, Sr for all the samples. From comparison of the proportions of elements contained, we found the following features: (1) The Kasumigaura pearl has a nucleus with a high Mn/Sr ratio, (2) The Biwako pearl is low in iron content, and (3) The American pearl has high in Fe/Sr, Cu/Sr, and Zn/Sr ratios.

Keywords:

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