A pot trial using Glomus mosseae along with EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) was conducted for the phytoextraction of cadmium (Cd) by celery (Apium graveolens Linn.) plants from soil artificially contaminated with Cd under glass house conditions. The experiment is a 2 £ 2 £ 4 factorial design with two levels of G. mosseae inoculations (G. mosseae inoculated and uninoculated), two EDTA concentrations (without and with 2.5 mmol kg ¡1 soil EDTA) and four Cd concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg kg ¡1 soil). The results indicate the formation of an effective symbiosis between G. mosseae and celery in the contaminated soil. However, an increase in Cd input level and EDTA addition showed strong phytotoxic effect on celery plants and G. mosseae, as a considerable decrease in the frequency of root colonization and spore density was noticed. However, the plants were able to withstand the stressed condition due to the benefits provided by G. mosseae through increased P accumulation, chlorophyll content, and plant growth, resulting in an increase in Cd accumulation, which was good enough for the phytoextraction purpose. Thus, celery plants inoculated with G. mosseae and later supplemented with EDTA could be an effective and potentially suitable practice for the remediation of Cd-contaminated sites.
Investigation was conducted on the experimental fields of CCS University (Meerut) during 2013–2014 to evaluate the influence of Cr (III) contamination on soil mycobiota and to obtain some Cr (III)-resistant strains for the management of Cr (III)-contaminated soils and of the effluents carrying the metal. Blocks (30cm × 30cm) each were treated with different concentrations (500 ppm/1000 ppm/2000 ppm) of chromium (III) nitrate or chromium (III) sulphate solution separately in triplicates. Three blocks served as control. The soil samples collected aseptically from control and treated blocks after 20, 40 and 60 days were analysed for mycobiota using serial dilution plate and soil plate methods. Overall dominance of anamorphic fungi and paucity of mucoraceous fungi was observed amongst the fifty two species of fungi isolated. Aspergillus niger was most tolerant to Cr (III) probably due to binding of Cr (III) by amide, amine and C=S groups on the fungus as revealed by FTIR spectroscopy. Reciprocal relationship between pollutant concentration ‘c’ and time ‘t’ (i.e. constancy of c×t ) did not hold true; such a relationship might be operative for a single species in-vitro systems. Cr (III) salts adversely affected the mycobiota (qualitatively and quantitatively) though not to the extent reported for Cr (VI). The results indicate that though soil fungal diversity is adversely affected by Cr (III) contamination, the surviving species flourish over a period of time leading to the partial recovery of the mycopopulation. Aspergillus niger biomass with Cr (III)-binding functional groups might be utilized for in situ management of Cr (III) in soils and in biosorption-based effluent treatment systems.
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