Physiological and anatomical responses of a common beach grass to crude oil pollution

Abstract

Oil pollution is one potential consequence of industry development, and oil contamination occurs in countries around the world. However, few studies have examined the detrimental effects of oil on plant anatomy. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to determine the impacts of crude oil on the physiological and anatomical parameters of Ischaemum muticum L. (Poaceae) and (2) to examine its potential as a bioindicator of oil pollution. Experimental plants were treated with one of four concentrations of crude oil (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% volume/weight) and compared to control plants (no oil applied). Four physiological and 23 anatomical parameters were measured 7, 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after treatment. Crude oil negatively affected both physiological traits (leaf width and chlorophyll content) and anatomical traits (midrib vascular bundle height, leaf cutin thickness, leaf vascular bundle width and height, abaxial and adaxial margin cutin thickness, adaxial stomata density, adaxial short cell width, and abaxial long cell width). In general, the affected traits were modified by even the lowest oil concentration tested (1%). We discuss the potential of I. muticum as a bioindicator of oil pollution, given its prevalence in coastal areas of the paleotropics and its sensitivity to oil contamination.

Role of Festuca rubra and Festuca arundinacea in determinig the functional and genetic diversity of microorganisms and of the enzymatic activity in the soil polluted with diesel oil

“…The negative impact of petroleum-based products on plants was also reported by Kaur and Asthir (2015) and Ma et al (2018). The toxic effect of DO on Festuca rubra and Festuca arundinacea observed in the present study, as well as on other plant species (Pascale et al 2016; Olaranont et al 2018; Fatima et al 2018; Borowik and Wyszkowska 2018a; Khan et al 2018) is due to, among other things, disorders in the metabolism of organic compounds in plants (Ma et al 2018).…”

“…The exploitation of petroleum-based substances is likely to cause their migration to the soil environment wherein they have a direct influence on plant growth and development (Liu et al 2014; Zhu et al 2018; Olaranont et al 2018). Their presence in the soil environment poses a serious problem because it may lead to changes in the physical and chemical properties of soil (Kucharski and Jastrzębska 2005; Kuppusamy et al 2017) and to the impaired growth and development of plants (Zhu et al 2018; Olaranont et al 2018). Plants that overgrow contaminated areas usually exhibit leaf chlorosis and deformation of the root system (Adam and Duncan 1999).…”

“…Hence, their effective elimination from the natural environment is necessary. Sowing the contaminated soil with plants having a well-developed root system may prove useful in the elimination of petroleum-based hydrocarbons from the soil environment (Pascale et al 2016; Olaranont et al 2018; Fatima et al 2018; Borowik and Wyszkowska 2018a; Khan et al 2018). Festuca rubra and Festuca arundinacea used in the present study turned out effective in degrading contaminants present in diesel oil.…”