A method for selective isolation and aggregation of epicuticular wax nanotubes in Picea pungens

A method for selectively isolating and aggregating intact nanotubes from leaf surfaces, in sample quantities useable for their characterisation in further experimental investigations, is presented here. It uses liquid sucrose, as a saturated solution, with its wetting behaviour modified by the addition of controlled amounts of ethanol, as a temporary entrapment and release medium, for removing nanotube material from the leaf surface, here of Picea pungens (Engelmann). This harvesting technique works by the slow, gentle transition of the medium from liquid to solid, capturing the nanotubes, and then back to liquid again, releasing them, to form an aggregate sample, with little compromise to the structural integrity of individual nanotubes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images are presented rigorously illustrating the technique and its effectiveness. Comparison with other recent methods reveals its advantages, and potential applications are explored.