Brassica juncea tested on urban soils moderately contaminated by lead: Origin of contamination and effect of chelates

Urban garden soils are a potential repository of heavy metal pollution, resulting from either anthropogenic or geogenic origin. The efficiency of phytoextraction was compared on two garden soils with the same texture and topsoil Pb concentration (170 mg kg^?1) but not the same origin: one geogenic, the other anthropogenic. Two varieties of Brassica juncea were tested with citric acid (25 mmol kg^?1) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, 2.5 mmol kg^?1). Geogenic Pb was shown to be two times less available than anthropogenic Pb, as a result of which the phytoextraction efficiency was reduced by 59%. Pb mobility in the soil was solely enhanced with EDTA, which increased the Pb concentration in shoots of B. juncea by between 14 and 26 times in comparison with the control. The highest Pb concentration in shoots still remained low, however (i.e., 45 mg kg^?1 dry weight). Regardless of the chelates introduced, B. juncea 426308 accumulated roughly twice as much lead as B. juncea 211000, but only for the anthropogenic contaminated soil. Under these conditions, the amount of Pb accumulated by B. juncea (even when assisted by EDTA) was not high enough to envision achieving soil clean-up within a reasonable time frame.     

Bioavailability assessment and accumulation by five garden flower species grown in artificially cadmium-contaminated soils

Many studies have been conducted on phytoextraction; however, non-native hyperaccumulator species are not suitable for the natural environment of Taiwan in many cases. Drawing upon previous results, the growth and heavy metal accumulation in artificially cadmium-contaminated soils were compared for five local garden flower species. The treatments included a control (CK), 9.73 +/- 0.05 mg kg(-1) (Cd-10), and 17.6 +/- 0.8 mg kg(-1) (Cd-20). All plants were harvested at 35 days after transplanting and analyzed for Cd content. Cd accumulation in the shoot of French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) and Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana Hook. f.) grown in Cd-20 treatment were 66.3 +/- 6.5 and 100 +/- 11 mg kg(-1), which equated to a removal of 0.80 +/- 0.11 and 0.60 +/- 0.37 mg Cd plant(-1), respectively. The maximum Cd accumulation of Impatiens reached the threshold value (100 mg kg(-1)) characteristic of a Cd hyperaccumulator and its bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) were greater than one. Impatiens therefore has the potential to hyperaccumulate Cd from Cd-contaminated soils. With the exception of Garden verbena, significant relationships were found between Cd concentrations in soil extracted by 0.05 M EDTA, 0.005 M DTPA, and 0.01 M CaCl2 and the concentration of Cd in the shoots of the tested garden flowers.     

Assessing the Tolerance of Castor Bean to Cd and Pb for Phytoremediation Purposes

This study evaluated Cd and Pb accumulation by castor bean (Ricinus communis cv. Guarany) plants grown in nutrient solution, aiming to assess the plant’s ability and tolerance to grow in Cd- and Pb-contaminated solutions for phytoremediation purposes. The plants were grown in individual pots containing Hoagland and Arnon’s nutrient solution with increasing concentrations of Cd and Pb. The production of root and shoot dry matter and their contents of Cd, Pb, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were evaluated in order to calculate the translocation and bioaccumulation factors, as well as toxicity of Cd and Pb. Cadmium caused severe symptoms of phytotoxicity in the plant’s root and shoot, but no adverse effect was observed for Pb. Castor bean is an appropriate plant to be used as indicator plant for Cd and tolerante for Pb in contaminated solution and it can be potentially used for phytoremediation of contaminated areas.     

Improving the Electrokinetic Remediation of Nickel-, Cadmium-, and Lead-contaminated Sediment

In this work, the simultaneous application of bipolar electrodes and a longer cathodic compartment length without agents addition was used as an enhanced electrokinetic treatment of Ni-, Cd-, and Pb-contaminated sediment. Conventional and enhanced treatments were investigated and their efficacy assessed by comparing the residual metals content in the sediment with values given by Dutch standards. After conventional treatment removals of 20%, 19%, and 31% for Ni, Cd, and Pb were achieved, whereas the enhanced treatment achieved removal efficacies of 36% for Ni, 42% for Cd, and 43% for Pb. Results indicate that the simultaneous application of the techniques mentioned is effective for removing Ni and Pb whereas Cd was not removed to the desired level. Here we show that the addition of chemicals is not necessary to increase the efficacies of electrokinetic sediment treatments, so the simultaneous application of the techniques mentioned can be described as environmentally friendly.     

EDTA and Pb—EDTA accumulation in Brassica juncea grown in Pb—amended soil

Previous studies have shown that EDTA is necessary to solubilize soil Pb and facilitate its transport from the soil to the above ground plant tissues. These studies have also suggested that Pb is accumulated in the plant tissue with transpiration as the driving force. We conducted further studies to evaluate the relationship between EDTA soil treatment, plant transpiration, and plant accumulation of Pb and EDTA. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) plants were grown in soils containing Pb at three different concentrations (1.5, 3.0 and 4.8 mmol/kg) for 5 weeks before being treated with EDTA concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 mmol/kg. Plant shoots and xylem sap were collected and analyzed for Pb and EDTA content using ICP and HPLC, respectively. Water loss was measured for 7 days following EDTA application. Transpiration was not affected at <5 mmol/kg EDTA but, at 10 mmol/kg EDTA transpiration decreased by 80%, whereas accumulation of Pb and EDTA increased. In the Sassafras soil, Pb and EDTA accumulation in the plant shoots continued to increase as the applied EDTA concentration increased, except at the highest level (10 mmol/kg). In soil amended with 4.8 mmol/kg Pb and 10 mmol/kg EDTA, the concentrations of EDTA and Pb in shoots decreased and visible signs of phytotoxicity were observed. The results presented herein support recent studies in hydroponic systems showing that EDTA and Pb are taken up by the plant and suggest that Pb is translocated in the plant as the Pb-EDTA complex. The results also show that the maximum Pb accumulation by plants occurs by maximizing the concentration of the Pb-EDTA complex based on the EDTA extractable soil Pb. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ion-exchange aspects of toxic metal uptake by Indian mustard

Uptake of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) as +2 ions by excised roots of Indian mustard was demonstrated to be an ion-exchange process with existing Ca or protons released to the solution. This initial reaction at the root-aqueous interface is important in the uptake of these toxic metals from contaminated soil. Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-amended soil for phytoremediation has Pb in anionic form as [Pb-EDTA]2-, which was not taken up by excised roots. In nonliving B. juncea, Pb2+ was translocated from a solution through a cut stem to petiole and leaves much more quickly than anionic [Pb-EDTA]2-. However, in living plants [Pb-EDTA]2- was more quickly translocated from a solution through roots and petiole to leaves than Pb2+. The final amount of uptake on roots of the living plants was the same for both forms of Pb. The present results are important toward understanding the mechanism of phytoremediation of toxic metal-contaminated soil for two reasons: 1) the initial process, uptake of metal ions by roots, was shown to occur by cation exchange and 2) since [Pb-EDTA]2- was not sorbed by excised roots, other factors such as transpiration and active transport are important in applications using EDTA-amended soils contaminated by Pb.     

Comparison of EDTA- and Citric Acid-Enhanced Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals in Artificially Metal Contaminated Soil by Typha Angustifolia

A pot experiment was conducted to study the performance of EDTA and citric acid (CA) addition in improving phytoextraction of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Cr from artificially contaminated soil by T. angustifolia. T. angustifolia showed the remarkable resistance to heavy metal toxicity with no visual toxic symptom including chlorosis and necrosis when exposed to metal stress. EDTA-addition significantly reduced plant height and biomass, compared with the control, and stunted plant growth, while 2.5 and 5 mM CA addition induced significant increases in root dry weight. EDTA, and 5 and 10 mM CA significantly increased shoot Cd, Pb, and Cr concentrations compared with the control, with EDTA being more effective. At final harvest, the highest shoot Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations were recorded in the treatment of 5 mM EDTA addition, while maximal root Pb concentration was found at the 2.5 mM CA treatment. However, shoot Cd accumulation in the 10 mM CA treatment was 36.9% higher than that in 2.5 mM EDTA, and similar with that in 10 mM EDTA. Shoot Pb accumulation was lower in 10 mM CA than that in EDTA treatments. Further, root Cd, Cu, and Pb accumulation of CA treatments and shoot Cr accumulation in 5 or 10 mM CA treatments were markedly higher than that of control and EDTA treatments. The results also showed that EDTA dramatically increased the dissolution of Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd in soil, while CA addition had less effect on water-soluble Cu, Cr, and Cd, and no effect on Pb levels. It is suggested that CA can be a good chelator candidate for T. angustifolia used for environmentally safe phytoextraction of Cd and Cr in soils.     

Chemically enhanced phytoextraction of risk elements from a contaminated agricultural soil using Zea mays and Triticum aestivum: performance and metal mobilization over a three year period

Enhanced phytoextraction using EDTA for the remediation of an agricultural soil contaminated with less mobile risk elements Cd and Pb originating from smelting activities in Príbram (Czech Republic) was assessed on the laboratory and the field scale. EDTA was applied to the first years crop Zea mays. Metal mobilization and metal uptake by the plants in the soil were monitored for two additional years when Triticum aestivum was planted. The application ofEDTA effectively increased water-soluble Cd and Pb concentrations in the soil. These concentrations decreased over time. Anyhow, increased concentrations could be still observed in the third experimental year indicating a low possibility of groundwater pollution after the addition of EDTA during and also after the enhanced phytoextraction process under prevailing climatic conditions. EDTA-applications caused phytotoxicity and thereby decreased biomass production and increased Cd and Pb uptake by the plants. Phytoextraction efficiency and phytoextraction potential were too low for Cd and Pb phytoextraction in the field in a reasonable time frame (as less than one-tenth of a percent of total Cd and Pb could be removed). This strongly indicates that EDTA-enhanced phytoextraction as implemented in this study is not a suitable remediation technique for risk metal contaminated soils.     

Phytoremediation of arsenic and lead in contaminated soil using Chinese brake ferns (Pteris vittata) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea)

Field and greenhouse experiments were performed to assess the performance of phytoremediation of arsenic and lead from contaminated soil at an EPA Superfund site (Barber Orchard). Chinese Brake ferns (Pteris vittata) were used to extract arsenic. On average, fern shoot arsenic concentrations were as high as 20 times the soil arsenic concentrations under field conditions. It was estimated that 8 years would be required to reduce the acid-extractable portion of soil arsenic to safe levels (40 mg/kg). The effect of soil pH on arsenic extraction was also investigated. Results indicate that increasing soil pH may improve arsenic removal. Indian mustard plants (Brassica juncea) were used under greenhouse conditions to phytoextract soil lead. EDTA was applied to soil and was found to improve lead extraction. When the EDTA concentration was 10 mmol EDTA/kg soil in soil containing 338 mg Pb/kg soil, mustard plants extracted approximately 32 mg of lead. In conclusion, phytoremediation would be a suitable alternative to conventional remediation techniques, especially for soils that do not require immediate remediation.     

Investigation of Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungus and EDTA Efficiencies on Lead Phytoremediation by Sunflower in a Calcareous Soil

Lead (Pb) contamination of soils is a widespread problem. Mycorrhizal inoculation and synthetic chelators such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) may be useful for improving phytoremediation efficiency in Pb-contaminated soils. A greenhouse experiment was performed to study the influence of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Glomus mosseae, and addition of EDTA on phytoremediation of Pb by sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in a calcareous soil. The experiment was a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with five levels of Pb, two levels of mycorrhizal treatments, and two levels of EDTA. Inoculation increased root colonization as Pb levels increased, but the addition of EDTA decreased it. Shoot and root dry matter yields increased by inoculation; however, they decreased with EDTA and Pb levels in co-application treatments. Pb concentration in shoots was significantly higher than that in roots, indicating a translocation factor greater than 1. Inoculation or addition of EDTA significantly increased Pb in roots and its translocation to shoots. The uptake index (UI) value increased in co-application of EDTA and AMF and the individual application of them; it is, therefore, concluded that both AMF and EDTA are effective in phytoremediation of Pb by sunflowers in the studied soil.     

芥菜型油菜种质资源研究进展

本文从收集保存、鉴定、研究、创新和利用5个方面介绍了芥菜型油菜种质资源研究进展。芥菜型油菜起源于亚洲,印度、中国收集的资源最多。芥菜型油菜可以分为中国-东欧类型和中国-印度类型2大类,每一类中均存在较大的遗传变异,许多具有优良性状的种质已经鉴定出来,并对其进行了生理学、遗传学研究。通过远缘杂交、诱变和遗传转化已创造出芥菜型油菜新种质。已鉴定、培育的芥菜型油菜优异种质资源在油菜育种上得到广泛利用。     

The Role of EDTA in Lead Transport and Accumulation by Indian Mustard

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) plants exposed to Pb and EDTA in hydroponic solution were able to accumulate up to 55 mmol kg⁻¹ Pb in dry shoot tissue (1.1% [w/w]). This represents a 75-fold concentration of Pb in shoot tissue over that in solution. A threshold concentration of EDTA (0.25 mm) was found to be required to stimulate this dramatic accumulation of both Pb and EDTA in shoots. Below this threshold concentration, EDTA also accumulated in shoots but at a reduced rate. Direct measurement of a complex of Pb and EDTA (Pb-EDTA) in xylem exudate of Indian mustard confirmed that the majority of Pb in these plants is transported in coordination with EDTA. The accumulation of EDTA in shoot tissue was also observed to be directly correlated with the accumulation of Pb. Exposure of Indian mustard to high concentrations of Pb and EDTA caused reductions in both the transpiration rate and the shoot water content. The onset of these symptoms was correlated with the presence of free protonated EDTA (H-EDTA) in the hydroponic solution, suggesting that free H-EDTA is more phytotoxic than Pb-EDTA. These studies clearly demonstrate that coordination of Pb transport by EDTA enhances the mobility within the plants of this otherwise insoluble metal ion, allowing plants to accumulate high concentrations of Pb in shoots. The finding that both H-EDTA and Pb-EDTA are mobile within plants also has important implications for the use of metal chelates in plant nutritional research.The synthetic chelate EDTA forms a soluble complex with many metals, including Pb (Kroschwitz, 1995), and can solubilize Pb from soil particles (Means and Crerar, 1978). Recently, application of EDTA to Pb-contaminated soils has been shown to induce the uptake of Pb by plants (Jøgensen, 1993; Huang and Cunningham, 1996; Blaylock et al., 1997; Huang et al., 1997), causing Pb to accumulate to more than 1% (w/w) of shoot dry biomass (Huang and Cunningham, 1996; Blaylock et al., 1997; Huang et al., 1997). For the in situ remediation of Pb-contaminated soils it appears that this chelate-assisted phytoextraction strategy (Salt et al., 1998) may be more effective than a strategy based on the natural ability of certain wild plant species for metal hyperaccumulation (Chaney, 1983; Baker et al., 1988).For more than 40 years, synthetic chelates have been used to supply plants with micronutrients in both soil and hydroponics. Yet the mechanisms by which chelates enhance metal accumulation are still not well characterized (Wallace and Wallace, 1992), and what is known appears contradictory. For example, some evidence suggests that the Fe-chelate EDTA can be absorbed by plants and translocated to shoots (Weinstein et al., 1954; Hill-Cottingham and Llyod-Jones, 1961, 1965). However, Tiffin et al. (1960) concluded that Fe-chelates are excluded from root tissue, and this was supported by Chaney et al. (1972), who demonstrated that Fe is taken up by plants only after first being split from the Fe-chelate complex by the action of a specific plasma membrane-bound Fe-chelate reductase.To optimize the process of chelate-assisted phytoextraction, it is important to understand the biological mechanisms responsible for this process. Because of the stimulatory role of chelate application in the uptake of Pb and other metals by plants, we have investigated the role of EDTA in Pb accumulation in plants. In this study we have demonstrated that the previously described EDTA-enhanced Pb accumulation in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) is based on the ability of EDTA to chelate and transport Pb from soil into shoot tissue.     

Isolation of toxic metal-tolerant bacteria from soil and examination of their bioaugmentation potentiality by pot studies in cadmium- and lead-contaminated soil

Heavy metals, also regarded as toxic metals, are the important environmental pollutants that affect all forms of life. Accumulation of toxic metals in plants results in various biochemical, physiological and structural disturbances, leading to inhibited growth and sometimes plant death. Toxic metal contamination disturbs the soil ecology as well as the agricultural productivity. Several indigenous microbes can withstand the effect of toxic metal and play a vital role in the revival of tarnished soil. In the present study, soil samples were collected from contaminated crop field of Cachar district of Assam, India. Segregation, enumeration and identification of bacteria from soil samples were performed. Among all the tested isolates, very few were able to withstand a high concentration of Cd and Pb in nutrient agar plates. Toxic metal-tolerant bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. The isolates having a higher tolerance for Cd and Pb were taken into consideration for pot studies. P. aeruginosa strain SN4 and strain SN5 showed significant results at Cd- and Pb-contaminated soil, evidenced by the healthy growth of Oryza sativa seedlings. However, B. cereus strain SN6 showed high tolerance towards Cd and Pb, but pot experimental studies showed adverse effects on seedling germination and shoot growth of O. sativa. P. aeruginosa strains were significantly able to reduce the negative impact of Cd and Pb in the soil, thus finding an alternative in removal, recovery and remediation of toxic metal-contaminated crop field.     

Phytoremediation of Pb contaminated soil with polymer-coated EDTA

EDTA-assisted phytoextraction of lead (Pb) has been developed, but concerns have arisen due to the possibility of leaching of both Pb and EDTA to ground water caused by uncontrolled release. We developed five types of controlled-release EDTA (polymer-coated EDTA) by coating the EDTA with a polyolefin polymer. A test of the release rate showed that the duration for the release of 75% of total EDTA ranged from 3 to 210 days. A pot experiment was conducted to compare the effect of these polymer-coated EDTA and non-coated EDTA on the concentrations of Pb and EDTA in soil solution, and Pb accumulation in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. cv. EARLY SUMAC) in a Pb-contaminated soil. One of the polymer-coated EDTAs, C-EDTA-4, with a release period of 80 days proved to be the best in decreasing Pb and EDTA concentrations in soil solution, and increasing Pb accumulation in sorghum shoots compared to the direct application of EDTA. Our results suggest that polymer-coated EDTA has a potential for phytoextraction of Pb with a reduced environmental risk.     

微生物对植物修复重金属污染土壤的促进效果

以印度芥菜作为超富集植物,通过盆栽试验研究了巨大芽胞杆菌和胶质芽胞杆菌的混合微生物制剂、黑曲霉30177发酵液对植物修复Cd、Pb、Zn污染土壤的作用.结果表明：巨大芽胞杆菌和胶质芽胞杆菌的混合微生物制剂不仅可以促进超富集植物的生长,增强超富集植物对土壤Cd、Pb、Zn的吸收,而且大幅度提高了植物的修复效率,在添加外源可溶性Cd、Pb、Zn的污染土壤上,可分别使印度芥菜提取量(以植物干质量计)提高1.18、1.54和0.85倍,在添加底泥Cd、Pb、Zn污染的土壤上,可分别使印度芥菜提取量提高4.00、0.64和0.65倍,在底泥污染的土壤上的促进效果明显强于外源添加污染的土壤.黑曲霉30177发酵液能显著促进印度芥菜对土壤Cd、Pb、Zn的吸收,在添加外源可溶性Cd、Pb、Zn的污染土壤上,印度芥菜地上部Cd、Pb、Zn的吸收量分别比对照提高了88.82%、129.04%和16.80%;在添加底泥Cd、Pb、Zn污染的土壤上,可分别比对照提高78.95%、113.63%和33.85%;但它可导致印度芥菜生物量的大幅度降低,起不到提高植物修复提取量的效果.经反相高效液相色谱初步分析发现,胶质芽胞杆菌、巨大芽胞杆菌发酵液中含有草酸、柠檬酸等有机酸,有机酸对重金属有一定的溶解作用,从而提高了重金属的生物有效性.     

Soil Metal Sorption Characteristics and its Influence on the Comparative Effectiveness of EDTA and Legume Intercrop on the Phytoremediative Abilities of Maize (Zea mays), Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens), Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), and Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)

Heavy metal pollution in soils and the high costs of remediation necessitate the evaluation of cheaper alternatives. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu sorption characteristics of three soils and their influence on the comparative effectiveness of EDTA and legume intercrop on the remediative abilities of maize, mucuna, okra, and kenaf. The sorption studies were done using standard procedures. The EDTA-assisted phytoextraction (6 mmol kg^?1) and the cowpea intercrop trials were conducted in triplicate. The metal-spiked soils were planted with maize, kenaf, and mucuna in the EDTA trial and maize, kenaf, and okra were planted in the cowpea intercrop experiment. Cadmium was prefentially sorbed in acid and alkaline soils and Cu in slightly acid soil. Cadmium uptake was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in all the plants. Bioconcentration factors of Pb, Cu, and Zn were higher (P < 0.05) in maize compared with other plants. Phytoremediative ability of the plants in trials were maize > kenaf > mucuna and okra > maize > kenaf, respectively. It was concluded that a legume intercrop can substitute EDTA- assisted phytoextraction to prevent groundwater contamination resulting from high solubility of metals by EDTA.     

Accumulation, detoxification, and genotoxicity of heavy metals in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Plants of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) were exposed to different concentrations (15, 30, 60, 120 microM) of (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb) for 28 and 56 d for accumulation and detoxification studies. Metal accumulation in roots and shoots were analyzed and it was observed that roots accumulated a significant amount of Cd (1980 microg g(-1) dry weight), Cr (1540 microg g(-1) dry weight), Cu (1995 microg g(-1) dry weight), and Pb (2040 microg g(-1) dry weight) after 56 d of exposure, though in shoot this was 1110, 618, 795, and 409 microg g(-1) dry weight of Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb, respectively. In order to assess detoxification mechanisms, non-protein thiols (NP-SH), glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins (PCs) were analyzed in plants. An increase in the quantity of NP-SH (9.55), GSH (8.30), and PCs (1.25) micromol g(-1) FW were found at 15 microM of Cd, however, a gradual decline in quantity was observed from 15 microM of Cd onwards, after 56 d of exposure. For genotoxicity in plants, cytogenetic end-points such as mitotic index (MI), micronucleus formation (MN), mitotic aberrations (MA) and chromosome aberrations (CA) were examined in root meristem cells of B. juncea. Exposure of Cd revealed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of MI, induction of MA, CA, and MN in the root tips for 24 h. However, cells examined at 24 h post-exposure showed concentration-wise recovery in all the endpoints. The data revealed that Indian mustard could be used as a potential accumulator of Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb due to a good tolerance mechanisms provided by combined/concerted action of NP-SH, GSH, and PCs. Also, exposure of Cd can cause genotoxic effects in B. juncea L. through chromosomal mutations, MA, and MN formation.     

Effect of EDTA and Tannic Acid on the Removal of Cd,Ni, Pb and Cu from Artificially Contaminated Soil by Althaea rosea Cavan

In this study an ornamental plant of Althaea rosea Cavan was investigated for its potential use in the removal of Cd, Ni, Pb and Cu from an artificially contaminated soil. Effect of two different chelating agents on the removal has also been studied by using EDTA (ethylenediaminetetracetic acid) and TA (tannic acid). Both EDTA and TA have led to higher heavy metal concentration in shoots and leaves compared to control plants. However EDTA is generally known as an effective agent in metal solubilisation of soil, in this study, TA was found more effective to induce metal accumulation in Althaea rosea Cavan under the studied conditions. In addition to this, EDTA is toxic to some species and restraining the growth of the plants. The higher BCF (Bio Concentration Factor) and TF (Translocation Factor) values obtained from stems and leaves by the effects of the chemical enhancers (EDTA and TA) show that Althaea rosea Cavan is a hyper accumulator for the studied metals and may be cultivated to clean the contaminated soils.     

The Bioadsorption of Cadmium and Lead by Bacteria in Root Exudates Culture

Microorganisms are important for phytoremediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals. In the present study, bacteria Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., and Flavobacterium sp. isolated from the Zhangshi Irrigation Area were applied to bioadsorbed Cd and Pb in liquid cultures with root exudates of sunflower as a sole carbon source. The experimental data demonstrated that these bacteria had a high potential of enrichment of Cd and Pb, and Bacillus sp. and Alcaligenes sp. had better ability to accumulate Cd or Pb than the others; the distinct bioadsorption of Cd and Pb by bacteria might depend on the physiology of bacteria, categories of heavy metals, and environmental factors (such as pH). In addition, root exudates of sunflower could not only support the growth of these bacteria, but also influence the toxicity and bioavailability of Cd and Pb. Our results indicated that amendment with bacteria isolated from heavy-metal-polluted soil and root exudates could be considered as a potential approach to enhance the phytoremediation of Cd- or Pb-contaminated soil.     

Comparison of NTA and Elemental Sulfur as Potential Soil Amendments in Phytoremediation

The effect of NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid) and elemental sulfur (S), two soil amendments suggested for the enhancement of metal phytoavailability in phytoextraction, on heavy metal uptake by Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) and Zea mays (maize) were studied and compared in two Zn-, Cu-, Cd -, and Pb-contaminated soils from northern Switzerland. Experiments were performed in the greenhouse with topsoil (0 to 20 cm) material from two locations, Dornach and Rafz. The Dornach soil was calcareous and had been contaminated by dust emissions from a nearby brass metal smelter. The Rafz soil, free of carbonates, had been polluted by former sewage sludge application. Soil amendments with S increased the solubility (NaNO₃ extraction) of Zn and Cd about 10-fold in Dornach soil and up to 30-fold in Rafz soil after 55 days. Zn and Cd removal by N. tabacum and Z. mays, however, increased only about 5.5- and 2.5-fold in these treatments in Rafz soil, respectively, while in the Dornach soil only a slight increase for Cd was found. Repeated NTA application increased soluble Zn, Cu, and Cd about 100-, 20-, and 19-fold in the Dornach soil and 13-, 4-, and 2-fold in the Rafz soil shortly after application. Soluble Pb was increased by NTA up to 50-fold in Rafz soil. After 90 days soluble heavy metal concentrations were only slightly elevated in both soils. Again, however, Zn, Cd, and Cu removal by N. tabacum and Z. mays increased only about 1.5- to 2.5-fold in the two soils, whereas Pb removal by N. tabacum increased about fivefold in the Rafz soil as a result of NTA application