Evaluation of heavy metals accumulation by two emergent macrophytes from the polluted soil: an experimental study

Abstract

The concentrations of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) in, and the biomass of, the different parts of Persicaria glabra (Willd.) Gamez and Juncellus alopecuroides (Rottb.) C.B.Cl. were evaluated while grown in pots under laboratory conditions. Cu and Pb were added as sulphates (50, 100, 200, 400 mg/kg) to the pots. Heavy metal concentrations in the plants were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results reveal that the biomass of J. alopecuroides (particularly roots) was higher than P. glabra, and that the growth tendency of macrophytes decreased with increasing heavy metal concentration in the soil, while in P. glabra, biomass went on increasing with the increase in copper concentration. Heavy metal accumulation in the roots was more than in aerial parts, and, therefore, barring two exceptions, the transfer factor of heavy metals from roots to aerial parts showed as less than 1, suggesting less transfer of heavy metals from roots to aerial parts. Thus, these macrophytes are efficient accumulators of trace elements, particularly J. alopecuroides, which can be recommended for biofiltration of heavy metals from contaminated soils.

Review: Nutritional ecology of heavy metals

“…It is perceived as an acceptable, cost-effective and efficient, novel technology with acceptability among the communities. The proper plants for removal heavy metals should have the following components: (i) high growth rate, (ii) highly branched and widely distributed root system, (iii) good adaptation to prevailing environmental and climatic conditions, (iv) easy cultivation and harvest, (v) production of more above-ground biomass, (vi) resistance to pathogens and pests, (vii) more accumulation of the target heavy metals from soil, (viii) translocation of the accumulated heavy metals from roots to shoots and (ix) tolerance to the toxic effects of the target heavy metals (Sakakibara et al, 2011;Shabani and Sayadi, 2012;Ali et al, 2013;Maric et al, 2013). Phytoremediation comprises several techniques that use plants and associated microbes to remediate contaminated matrices, which are removed through transfer, containment, accumulation or dissipation.…”

Contamination of Soil with Pb and Sb at a Lead-Acid Battery Dumpsite and Their Potential Early Uptake by Phragmites australis

“…Ten randomly selected cut rhizomes (6.4%) were repeatedly washed with stream water and then with deionized water. They were ovendried (Heraeus D6450; 70 ∘ C, 24 h), ground, and sieved to <1 mm [12]. Ten 1.0 g split dried samples were separately decomposed in a muffle furnace (550 ∘ C, 6 h) and the ashes were dissolved in aqua regia (12 ml).…”

“…Laboratory samples were then prepared as described above for the growth media in order to determine Pb and Sb concentrations. Bioaccumulation and translocation factors were calculated [12]. Lead and Sb were extracted from two sets of three replicate samples of the CRM by acid digestions and the other set was extracted by ammonium acetate and analyzed using similar procedures as the growth media.…”

“…However, most of these technologies are not cost-effective and environmentally friendly [1,7]. Previous studies have focused on phytoremediation technologies [8][9][10][11] and available evidence suggests that the technologies are ecofriendly, innovative, and economical [12].…”

Potential for Phytoextraction of Cu by Sesamum indicum L. and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.: A Green Solution to Decontaminate Soil

“…The plant species appropriate for phytoextraction purpose should have great tolerance to the harmful impacts of the substantial metals in soil, high accumulation and transfer of metals from below-ground to above-ground parts, fast growth and development rate, high production of aboveground biomass (shoot) and must be simple to cultivate and harvest (Shabani and Sayadi 2012;Hazrat et al 2013). Several workers have reported the phytoremediation potentials of plant species belonging to botanicals families, specifically the Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae.…”