The Effect of Temperature on the Accumulation of Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, and Lead by Scirpus acutus and Typha latifolia: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Wetland plants have a capacity for metal sequestration and have been used to remediate such environmental contaminants. How this capacity will be affected by a warming environment is not wellknown. Our objective was to identify the effect of small environmentally realistic increases in temperature on metal (cadmium, zinc, lead, and copper) accumulation in Typha latifolia as compared with Scirpus acutus. These common wetland plant species were grown in metal-contaminated sediments at 13°C, 16°C, and 18°C for 3 months to determine the effect of environmentally realistic temperatures on metal accumulation. Cd 109 was used as a radiotracer to study the effect of temperature on uptake kinetics. Growth of the two wetland plants differed markedly; S. acutus displayed linear growth reaching a maximum height of ca. 100 cm; by contrast, T. latifolia grew to ca. 40 cm by day 60 with no further growth occurring over the remainder of the 105-day growth period. S. acutus accumulated more cadmium, lead, and zinc from contaminated sediments than T. latifolia, but only within roots and rhizomes. Although not significant, uptake of cadmium, lead, and zinc by both plants was enhanced under warmer conditions and was most pronounced in S. acutus.This was supported by the radiotracer studies which indicated that under the higher temperatures, there was increased rates of Cd 109 uptake by shoots of S. acutus. By contrast, temperature did not affect Cd 109 uptake rate constants in T. latifolia. S. acutus appears to be more effective at sequestering metals from contaminated sediments; this species as compared to T. latifolia may also be more affected by a warming climate. In the design of wetlands for metal remediation, differences in how these two plants sequester metals from their environment should be considered.

Salinity and temperature influence removal levels of heavy metals and chloride from water by wetland plants

“…The effects on metal uptake of salinity and temperature stress vary between plant species, as recorded in several studies (Brunham and Bendell 2011;Fritioff et al 2005). Furthermore, interactions between salinity and temperature impacts on heavy metal uptake have been recorded in submersed plants (Fritioff et al 2005) and macroalgae (Bastos et al 2019).…”

“…Temperature affects the metabolism and membrane function of plants, profoundly affecting plant growth and survival, key factors for the success of plant-based water treatment systems. It also directly affects metal absorption and translocation from roots to shoots (Brunham and Bendell 2011 ), generally resulting in higher accumulation at higher temperatures. Since plant adsorption and plant-mediated sedimentation are physical processes, they are less influenced by temperature than are absorption and translocation.…”