Potential hyperaccumulation of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in endurant plants distributed in an old smeltery, northeast China

The absorption and accumulation of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in some endurant weed plant species that survived in an old smeltery in Liaoning, China, were systematically investigated. Potential hyperaccumulative characteristics of these species were also discussed. The results showed that metal accumulation in plants differed with species, tissues and metals. Endurant weed plants growing in this contaminated site exhibited high metal adaptability. Both the metal exclusion and detoxification tolerance strategies were involved in the species studied. Seven species for Pb and four species for Cd were satisfied for the concentration time level standard for hyperaccumulator. Considering translocation factor (TF) values, one species for Pb, seven species for Zn, two species for Cu and five species for Cd possessed the characteristic of hyperaccumulator. Particularly, Abutilon theophrasti Medic, exhibited strong accumulative ability to four heavy metals. Although enrichment coefficients of all samples were lesser than 1 and the absolute concentrations didn’t reach the standard, species mentioned above were primarily believed to be potential hyperaccumulators.     

Transformation of Tobacco with ScMTII Gene‐Enhanced Cadmium and Zinc Accumulation

Genetic transformation is gaining importance for developing plant types suitable to metal accumulate and/or hyperaccumulate. In this study, the transgenic tobacco plant which transferred the ScMTII gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to wild type tobacco cultivar Petite Havana (SR1) was grown on soils with low and high cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in a growth chamber for 6 weeks and compared to wild type tobacco for Cd and Zn accumulation. Cadmium and Zn accumulations in the transgenic and wild type tobacco plants were increased with the increasing Cd and Zn concentrations. Unlike Zn, the transgenic plant accumulated significantly higher amount of Cd compared to the wild type control plants. Shoot Cd concentrations of transgenic tobacco in higher Cd dosages reached the above the hyperaccumulation threshold value of 100 mg Cd kg^?1 in the dry weight (DW). Transgenic tobacco accumulated 354, 400, 372, and 457 mg Cd kg^?1 DW, for 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg Cd kg^?1 soil treatments, respectively. These values are 3.5–4.5‐fold higher than that of Cd hyperaccumulation threshold value. With 10 mg kg^?1 Cd treatment, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of transgenic tobacco plants for Cd reached up to 35 in which the threshold value for BCF should be at least 10. Our results showed that the transgenic tobacco may be used as a good Cd hyperaccumulator plant and for phytoextraction of Cd contaminated soils, but not for Zn.     

The Potential of Eleocharis acicularis for Phytoremediation: Case Study at an Abandoned Mine Site

Phytoremediation, a plant‐based and cost‐effective technology for the cleanup of contaminated soil and water, is receiving increasing attention. In this study, the aquatic macrophyte Eleocharis acicularis was examined for its ability to take up multiple heavy metals and its potential application for phytoremediation at an abandoned mining area in Hokkaido, Japan. Elemental concentrations were measured in samples of E. acicularis, water, and soil collected from areas of mine tailing and drainage. The results reveal that Pb, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Mn accumulation in the plants increased over the course of the experiment, exceeding their initial concentrations by factors of 930, 430, 60, 25, 10, and 6, respectively. The highest concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu, and Ni within the plants were 59500, 1120, 964, 388, 265, 235, and 47.4 mg/kg dry wt., respectively, for plants growing in mine drainage after 11 months of the experiment. These results indicate that E. acicularis is a hyperaccumulator of Pb. We also found high Si concentrations in E. acicularis (2.08%). It is likely that heavy metals exist in opal‐A within cells of the plant. The bioconcentration factors (BCF: ratio of metal concentration in the plant shoots to that in the soil) obtained for Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, and Pb were 3.27, 1.65, 1.29, 1.26, 1.11, and 0.82, respectively. The existence of heavy metals as sulphides is thought to have restricted the metal‐uptake efficiency of E. acicularis at the mine site. The results of this study indicate that E. acicularis shows great potential in the phytoremediation of mine tailing and drainage rich in heavy metals.     

土壤砷污染特点与植物修复探讨

土壤砷污染一直是国内外关注的热点,植物修复技术是20世纪80年代提出的利用植物治理土壤污染的一种"绿色技术".土壤中砷主要以无机态的形式存在,并主要为Al、Fe、Ca等所吸附而产生共沉淀,水溶态的砷含量一般小于总砷的5%.砷污染区的植物砷含量一般高于非污染区,具有耐贫瘠、耐干旱且地带性不是很强的特点.到目前为止,世界范围内已发现3种超富集砷的植物.根据野外调查与分析,利用超富集植物治理土壤轻度砷污染是可行的.     

Identification of the Phytoremediation Potential of Indian mustard Genotypes for Copper,Evaluated from a Hydroponic Experiment

The effectiveness of 10 Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes (viz. Agrani, BTO, Kranti, Pusa Bahar, Pusa Basant, Pusa Bold, Pusa Jai Kisan, Vaibhav, Vardhan, and Varuna) were evaluated for their potential to phytoremediate copper from contaminated waters under laboratory controlled conditions. The genotypes were grown for 20 days in aqueous solutions containing various concentrations of copper sulfate (0–50 µM) in a hydroponic chamber. Throughout plant development, changes in growth variables, biomass accumulation, and total Cu content were evaluated. The results suggested that Indian mustard cv. Pusa Jai Kisan possesses the best capacities of Cu sequestration and tolerance amongst all the genotypes studied. Thus, Pusa Jai Kisan has the greatest potential to become a viable candidate in the development of practical phytoremediation technologies for Cu contaminated sites.     

Promoted dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene in soils by amaranth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaranthus tricolor</Emphasis> L.)

A study was conducted to investigate the performance of amaranth, a known hyperaccumulator of cesium, on the promotion of the dissipation of soil phenanthrene and pyrene, which are PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Amaranthus tricolor L. een choi was the cultivar used. The presence of Amaranthus tricolor L. evidently enhanced the dissipation of these PAHs in soils with initial phenanthrene concentrations of 7.450–456.5 mg/kg dw (dw, dry weight) and pyrene of 8.010–488.7 mg/kg dw. At the end of the experiment (45 days), the residual concentrations of phenanthrene and pyrene in spiked soils with plants were generally higher than those with no plants. The loss of phenanthrene and pyrene in vegetated soils was 87.85–94.03% and 46.89–76.57% of the soil with these chemicals, which was 2.55–13.66% and 11.12–56.55% larger than the loss in non-vegetated soils, respectively. The accumulation of phenanthrene and pyrene by the plant was evident. Root and shoot concentrations of these chemicals monotonically increased with increasing soil PAH concentrations. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs), defined as the ratio of chemical concentrations in plants and in the soils (on a dry weight basis), of phenanthrene and pyrene by roots were 0.136–0.776 and 0.603–1.425, while by shoots were 0.116–0.951 and 0.082–0.517, respectively. BCFs of phenanthrene and pyrene tended to decrease with the increasing concentrations of soil phenanthrene and pyrene. Plant accumulation only accounted for less than 0.32% (for phenanthrene) and 0.33% (for pyrene) of the total amount enhancement of the dissipated PAHs in vegetated vs. non-vegetated soils. In contrast, plant-promoted microbial biodegradation was the predominant contribution to the plant-enhanced dissipation of soil phenanthrene and pyrene. These results suggested the feasibility of the radionuclide hyperaccumulator in phytoremediating the soil PAH contaminants.     

Hyperaccumulation of lead,zinc, and cadmium in plants growing on a lead/zinc outcrop in Yunnan Province,China

A field survey was conducted to identify potential hyperaccumulators of Pb, Zn or Cd in the Beichang Pb/Zn mine outcrop in Yunnan Province, China. The average total concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in the soils were up to 28,438, 5,109, and 52 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. A total of 68 plant species belonging to 60 genera of 37 families naturally colonizing the outcrop were recorded. According to metal accumulation in the plants and translocation factor (TF), Silene viscidula was identified as potential hyperaccumulator of Pb, Zn, and Cd with mean shoot concentrations of 3,938 mg kg⁻¹ of Pb (TF = 1.2), 11,155 mg kg⁻¹ of Zn (TF = 1.8) and 236 mg kg⁻¹ of Cd (TF = 1.1), respectively; S. gracilicanlis (Pb 3,617 mg kg⁻¹, TF = 1.2) and Onosma paniculatum (Pb 1,837 mg kg⁻¹, TF = 1.9) were potential Pb hyperaccumulators. Potentilla griffithii (Zn 8,748 mg kg⁻¹, TF = 1.5) and Gentiana sp. (Zn 19,710 mg kg⁻¹, TF = 2.7) were potential Zn hyperaccumulators. Lysimachia deltoides (Cd 212 mg kg⁻¹, TF = 3.2) was a potential Cd hyperaccumulator. These new plant resources could be used to explore the mechanisms of Pb, Zn and/or Cd hyperaccumulation, and the findings could be applied for the phytoremediation of Pb, Zn and/or Cd-contaminated soils.     

Screening Indian Mustard Genotypes for Phytoremediating Arsenic‐Contaminated Soils

Ten Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes were screened for their phytoremediation potential for arsenic (As) contaminated water under laboratory‐controlled conditions. The genotypes were grown in a hydroponic chamber for 20 days in 250‐mL beakers containing As‐contaminated water. During plant development, changes in plant growth, biomass, and total As were evaluated. Of the 10 genotypes (Pusa Agrani, BTO, Pusa Kranti, Pusa Bahar, Pusa Bold, Pusa Basant, Pusa Jai Kisan, Arka Vardhan, Varuna, and Vaibhav) Pusa Jai Kisan was the most effective in phytoremediating As‐contaminated water under hydroponic conditions. This will provide new information for Indian mustard genotypes for phytoremediating As‐contaminated soils.     

Cadmium‐Induced Physiological Response in Lonicera japonica Thunb.

Phytoremediation of Cd‐contaminated soil using hyperaccumulators has become a new promising technique. Lonicera japonica Thunb. has been reported as a new Cd‐hyperaccumulator. In this study, the effect of Cd stress duration on growth, photosynthesis and mineral nutrition of L. japonica was investigated. At 30 days after Cd stress, there was not any visual leaf symptoms in L. japonica, and an obvious stimulating effect of 10 mg kg^?1 Cd on net photosynthesis rate (P_N) was well correlated to photosynthetic pigment contents and mineral nutrition (Mg and Fe) concentrations. With Cd stress time extended, no significant differences of shoots and total biomass and P_N compared with the control was observed, indicating that L. japonica could develop effective tolerance mechanisms to avoid Cd‐induced damage to photosynthesis and growth. The photosynthetic performance remained functional through stomatal and non‐stomatal adjustments, and mineral nutrition responses. The improved growth based on shoots and total biomass and P_N by 10 mg kg^?1 Cd, as suggested by hormesis, may be beneficial to enhance the potential for phytoremediation, because it typically faced the low Cd concentrations in actual Cd‐contaminated soils. The study results indicated that L. japonica could be used for phytoremediation contaminated soils by Cd.