Comparison of root absorption, translocation and tolerance of arsenic in the hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata and the nonhyperaccumulator Pteris tremula

* Several fern species can hyperaccumulate arsenic, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we investigate the roles of root absorption, translocation and tolerance in As hyperaccumulation by comparing the hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata and the nonhyperaccumulator Pteris tremula. * The two species were grown in a pot experiment with 0-500 mg As kg-1 added as arsenate, and in a short-term (8 h) uptake experiment with 5 microM arsenate under phosphorus-sufficient conditions. * In the pot experiment, P. vittata accumulated up to 2500 mg As kg-1 frond d. wt and suffered no phytotoxicity. P. tremula accumulated<100 mg As kg-1 frond d. wt and suffered severe phytotoxicity with additions of >or=25 mg As kg-1. In the short-term uptake experiment, P. vittata had a 2.2-fold higher rate of arsenate uptake than P. tremula, and distributed more As taken up to the fronds (76%) than did P. tremula (9%). * Our results show that enhanced root uptake, efficient root-to-shoot translocation, and a much elevated tolerance through internal detoxification all contribute to As hyperaccumulation in P. vittata.     

Mechanisms of arsenic hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata. Uptake kinetics,interactions with phosphate,and arsenic speciation

The mechanisms of arsenic (As) hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata, the first identified As hyperaccumulator, are unknown. We investigated the interactions of arsenate and phosphate on the uptake and distribution of As and phosphorus (P), and As speciation in P. vittata. In an 18-d hydroponic experiment with varying concentrations of arsenate and phosphate, P. vittata accumulated As in the fronds up to 27,000 mg As kg(-1) dry weight, and the frond As to root As concentration ratio varied between 1.3 and 6.7. Increasing phosphate supply decreased As uptake markedly, with the effect being greater on root As concentration than on shoot As concentration. Increasing arsenate supply decreased the P concentration in the roots, but not in the fronds. Presence of phosphate in the uptake solution decreased arsenate influx markedly, whereas P starvation for 8 d increased the maximum net influx by 2.5-fold. The rate of arsenite uptake was 10% of that for arsenate in the absence of phosphate. Neither P starvation nor the presence of phosphate affected arsenite uptake. Within 8 h, 50% to 78% of the As taken up was distributed to the fronds, with a higher translocation efficiency for arsenite than for arsenate. In fronds, 49% to 94% of the As was extracted with a phosphate buffer (pH 5.6). Speciation analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy showed that >85% of the extracted As was in the form of arsenite, and the remaining mostly as arsenate. We conclude that arsenate is taken up by P. vittata via the phosphate transporters, reduced to arsenite, and sequestered in the fronds primarily as As(III).     

Highly efficient xylem transport of arsenite in the arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata

The hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata translocates arsenic (As) from roots to fronds efficiently, but the form of As translocated in xylem and the main location of arsenate reduction have not been resolved. Here, P. vittata was exposed to 5 microM arsenate or arsenite for 1-24 h, with or without 100 microM phosphate. Arsenic speciation was determined in xylem sap, roots, fronds and nutrient solutions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) linked to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The xylem sap As concentration was 18-73 times that in the nutrient solution. In both arsenate- and arsenite-treated plants, arsenite was the predominant species in the xylem sap, accounting for 93-98% of the total As. A portion of arsenate taken up by roots (30-40% of root As) was reduced to arsenite rapidly. The majority (c. 80%) of As in fronds was arsenite. Phosphate inhibited arsenate uptake, but not As translocation. More As was translocated to fronds in the arsenite-treated than in the arsenate-treated plants. There was little arsenite efflux from roots to the external solution. Roots are the main location of arsenate reduction in P. vittata. Arsenite is highly mobile in xylem transport, possibly because of efficient xylem loading, little complexation with thiols in roots, and little efflux to the external medium.     

Antioxidant responses of hyper-accumulator and sensitive fern species to arsenic

Plant species capable of hyper-accumulating heavy metals are of considerable interest for phytoremediation, and differ in their ability to accumulate metals from the environment. This work aims to examine (i) arsenic accumulation in three fern species [Chinese brake fern (Pteris vittata L.), slender brake fern (Pteris ensiformis Burm. f.), and Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata L.)], which were exposed to 0, 150, or 300 muM of arsenic (Na(2)HAsO(4).7H(2)O), and (ii) the role of anti-oxidative metabolism in arsenic tolerance in these fern species. Arsenic accumulation increased with an increase in arsenic concentration in the growth medium, the most being found in P. vittata fronds showing no toxicity symptoms. In addition, accumulation was highest in the fronds, followed by the rhizome, and finally the roots, in all three fern species. Thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances, indicators of stress in plants, were found to be lowest in P. vittata, which corresponds with its observed tolerance to arsenic. All three ferns responded differentially to arsenic exposure in terms of anti-oxidative defence. Higher levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase were observed in P. vittata than in P. ensiformis and N. exaltata, showing their active involvement in the arsenic detoxification mechanism. However, no significant increase was observed in either guaiacol peroxides or glutathione reductase in arsenic-treated P. vittata. Higher activity of anti-oxidative enzymes and lower thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances in arsenic-treated P. vittata correspond with its arsenic hyper-accumulation and no symptoms of toxicity.     

Effects of selenium on arsenic uptake in arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L

Selenium (Se) is a non-metallic element, which has the capability to increase the antioxidative capacity and stress tolerance of plants to heavy metals. Plants vary considerably in their physiological response to Se. The reported research investigated the effects of Se on arsenic (As) uptake by As hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. and determined possible mechanisms of interaction. Pteris vittata plants were exposed hydroponically to 0, 150 or 300 microM of Na(2)HAsO(4) in the presence of 0, 5 or 10 microM of Na(2)SeO(4) for 5 or 10d. Application of 5 microM Se enhanced As concentration by P. vittata fronds by 7-45%. At 5 microM, Se acted as an antioxidant, inhibiting lipid peroxidation (reduced by 26-42% in the fronds) via increased levels of thiols and glutathione (increased by 24% in the fronds). The results suggest that Se is either an antioxidant or it activates plant protective mechanisms, thereby alleviating oxidative stress and improving arsenic uptake in P. vittata.     

In vivo micro X-ray analysis utilizing synchrotron radiation of the gametophytes of three arsenic accumulating ferns, Pteris vittata L., Pteris cretica L. and Athyrium yokoscense, in different growth stages

In vivo X-ray analysis utilizing synchrotron radiation was performed to investigate the distribution and oxidation state of arsenic in the gametophytes of two hyperaccumulators, Pteris vittata L. and Pteris cretica L., and an arsenic-accumulating fern, Athyrium yokoscense in the several growth stages from germination. The distribution of arsenic in P. vittata changed through the development of the plant tissues as follows. In two-week-old gametophyte, arsenic was mainly present along the rhizoid. In the one-month-old gametophyte with reproductive organs, arsenic was accumulating uniformly in the sheet of cells, except in the reproductive area. After fertilization, arsenic was observed in the aboveground part of the sporophyte structures. P. cretica and A. yokoscense showed different distributions, respectively. P. cretica showed an accumulation of arsenic in the reproductive area, in contrast to P. vittata, before fertilization, while arsenic was observed in the aboveground part of the sporophyte after fertilization. A. yokoscense showed an accumulation of arsenic along the rhizoids before fertilization, while it was present mainly along the roots of the sporophyte after fertilization. Reduced arsenic (As(iii)) was observed in all stages and in all tissues of P. vittata gametophytes. Further, a reduction of arsenic was commonly observed among the three ferns, although arsenic was bounded to sulfur in A. yokoscense. These findings may be related to their own reproductive process or to detoxification mechanism. They provide basic information for the understanding of arsenic hyperaccumulation in these ferns, leading to further application of these gametophyte systems.     

砷胁迫下不同砷富集能力植物内源生长素与抗氧化酶的关系

采用室内土培法,研究了砷胁迫(0,50,100和200 mg/kg)对凤尾蕨属中砷超富集植物大叶井口边草(Pteris cretica var.nervosa)和非砷超富集植物剑叶凤尾蕨(Pteris ensiformis)生物量、株高、叶片内源3-吲哚乙酸(IAA)含量、IAA氧化酶(IAAO)活性、砷含量、抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶SOD、过氧化物酶POD、过氧化氢酶CAT)活性以及细胞膜脂过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响,并用逐步回归法分析了IAA含量与砷含量、抗氧化酶活性、MDA含量之间的关系。此外,研究了100 mg/kg砷处理下IAA、IAAO、3种抗氧化酶和MDA的时间动态。结果表明,与对照(不加砷)相比,加砷处理下大叶井口边草的株高和生物量未出现显著变化,但剑叶凤尾蕨在中、高浓度砷胁迫下则显著降低;中、高浓度砷胁迫均使2种植物叶片含砷量、IAA含量显著增加和IAAO活性显著下降,但这种改变在大叶井口边草中更为显著;加砷处理使大叶井口边草叶片3种抗氧化酶活性维持或增加,剑叶凤尾蕨中SOD和CAT活性虽能维持,但POD活性则显著下降,说明砷胁迫下大叶井口边草具有更强的抗氧化能力。逐步回归分析结果显示,2种植物叶片IAA含量均与砷含量成显著正相关,但在大叶井口边草中,IAA含量还与CAT活性成显著负相关。时间动态研究表明,第13天,大叶井口边草具有最高的IAA含量、最低的IAAO活性以及最低的CAT活性,而剑叶凤尾蕨中的变化规律则不明显。因此,叶片保持较高的IAA含量、较低的IAAO和CAT活性有助于大叶井口边草超量富集砷。     

Arsenic-resistant bacteria solubilized arsenic in the growth media and increased growth of arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L

The role of arsenic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in arsenic solubilization from growth media and growth enhancement of arsenic-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. was examined. Seven ARB (tolerant to 10 mM arsenate) were isolated from the P. vittata rhizosphere and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Pseudomonas sp., Comamonas sp. and Stenotrophomonas sp. During 7-d hydroponic experiments, these bacteria effectively solubilized arsenic from the growth media spiked with insoluble FeAsO? and AlAsO? minerals (from < 5 μg L?1 to 5.04-7.37 mg L?1 As) and enhanced plant arsenic uptake (from 18.1-21.9 to 35.3-236 mg kg?1 As in the fronds). Production of (1) pyochelin-type siderophores by ARB (fluorescent under ultraviolet illumination and characterized with thin layer chromatography) and (2) root exudate (dissolved organic C) by P. vittata may be responsible for As solubilization. Increase in P. vittata root biomass from 1.5-2.2 to 3.4-4.2 g/plant dw by ARB and by arsenic was associated with arsenic-induced plant P uptake. Arsenic resistant bacteria may have potential to enhance phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated soils by P. vittata.     

Arsenic hyperaccumulation in gametophytes of Pteris vittata. A new model system for analysis of arsenic hyperaccumulation

The sporophyte of the fern Pteris vittata is known to hyperaccumulate arsenic (As) in its fronds to >1% of its dry weight. Hyperaccumulation of As by plants has been identified as a valuable trait for the development of a practical phytoremediation processes for removal of this potentially toxic trace element from the environment. However, because the sporophyte of P. vittata is a slow growing perennial plant, with a large genome and no developed genetics tools, it is not ideal for investigations into the basic mechanisms underlying As hyperaccumulation in plants. However, like other homosporous ferns, P. vittata produces and releases abundant haploid spores from the parent sporophyte plant which upon germination develop as free-living, autotrophic haploid gametophyte consisting of a small (<1 mm) single-layered sheet of cells. Its small size, rapid growth rate, ease of culture, and haploid genome make the gametophyte a potentially ideal system for the application of both forward and reverse genetics for the study of As hyperaccumulation. Here we report that gametophytes of P. vittata hyperaccumulate As in a similar manner to that previously observed in the sporophyte. Gametophytes are able to grow normally in medium containing 20 mm arsenate and accumulate >2.5% of their dry weight as As. This contrasts with gametophytes of the related nonaccumulating fern Ceratopteris richardii, which die at even low (0.1 mm) As concentrations. Interestingly, gametophytes of the related As accumulator Pityrogramma calomelanos appear to tolerate and accumulate As to intermediate levels compared to P. vittata and C. richardii. Analysis of gametophyte populations from 40 different P. vittata sporophyte plants collected at different sites in Florida also revealed the existence of natural variability in As tolerance but not accumulation. Such observations should open the door to the application of new and powerful genetic tools for the dissection of the molecular mechanisms involved in As hyperaccumulation in P. vittata using gametophytes as an easily manipulated model system.     

EXAFS study on arsenic species and transformation in arsenic hyperaccumulator

As a cost-effective, efficient and environmental friendly method for the remediation of contaminated soils and waters, phytoremediation of arsenic-con- taminated soils has drawn more and more attention[1]. The plants with the special ability to accumulate arse-nic (hyperaccumulators) are a prerequisite for phy-toremediation. Cretan brake (Pteris cretica L. var nervosa Thunb) has been shown to accumulate arsenic as much as 694 mg/kg in pinna in field investigation[2], and such elevated arsenic…     

蜈蚣草砷超富集机制及其在砷污染修复中的应用

蕨类植物蜈蚣草能够从土壤中吸收砷,并储存于地上部分羽叶的液泡中。蜈蚣草具有高效的抗氧化系统,以降低砷的毒害;其砷酸还原系统和液泡区隔化是蜈蚣草进行砷解毒和砷超富集的重要机制。本文综述了目前蜈蚣草砷超富集机制研究的主要进展,并对其在修复砷污染环境的应用中进行了讨论。     

Species variations in the biliary and urinary excretion of arsenate, arsenite and their metabolites

In most mammalian species, inorganic arsenicals are extensively biotransformed and excreted both in unchanged form and as metabolites. In the bile of rats receiving arsenate (AsV) or arsenite (AsIII) we have identified monomethylarsonous acid (MMAsIII), purportedly the most toxic metabolite of inorganic arsenic. As rats are not commonly accepted for studying arsenic metabolism, we carried out a comparative investigation on the excretion of AsV, AsIII and their metabolites in five animal species in order to determine whether they also form MMAsIII from AsV and AsIII. Anaesthetised bile duct-cannulated rats, mice, hamsters, rabbits, and guinea pigs were injected with AsV or AsIII (50 micromol/kg, i.v.) and their bile and urine was collected for 2 h. Arsenic in bile and urine was speciated by HPLC-hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry and the excretion rates of AsV, AsIII, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAsV), MMAsIII and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAsV) were quantified. All species injected with AsV excreted arsenic preferentially into urine, whereas all animals receiving AsIII, except rabbits, delivered more arsenic into bile than urine. Bile contained almost exclusively trivalent arsenic (i.e. AsIII and/or MMAsIII), whereas AsV, AsIII and DMAsV appeared in urine. Except for guinea pigs, which do not methylate arsenic, the other species formed MMAsIII and excreted it into bile. Having excreted as much as 8% of the dose of AsIII or AsV in 2 h as MMAsIII, rats were by far the most efficient producers of this supertoxic metabolite. Thus, although the rat is not a good model for studying long-term arsenic disposition, this species appears especially valuable in studies on AsIII methyltransferase and in vivo formation of MMAsIII.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a phytochelatin synthase gene, PvPCS1, from Pteris vittata L.

Pteris vittata L. is a staggeringly efficient arsenic hyperaccumulator that has been shown to be capable of accumulating up to 23,000 microg arsenic g(-1), and thus represents a species that may fully exploit the adaptive potential of plants to toxic metals. However, the molecular mechanisms of adaptation to toxic metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation remain unknown, and P. vittata genes related to metal detoxification have not yet been identified. Here, we report the isolation of a full-length cDNA sequence encoding a phytochelatin synthase (PCS) from P. vittata. The cDNA, designated PvPCS1, predicts a protein of 512 amino acids with a molecular weight of 56.9 kDa. Homology analysis of the PvPCS1 nucleotide sequence revealed that it has low identity with most known plant PCS genes except AyPCS1, and the homology is largely confined to two highly conserved regions near the 5'-end, where the similarity is as high as 85-95%. The amino acid sequence of PvPCS1 contains two Cys-Cys motifs and 12 single Cys, only 4 of which (Cys-56, Cys-90/91, and Cys-109) in the N-terminal half of the protein are conserved in other known PCS polypeptides. When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisae, PvPCS1 mediated increased Cd tolerance. Cloning of the PCS gene from an arsenic hyperaccumulator may provide information that will help further our understanding of the genetic basis underlying toxic metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation.     

Arsenic uptake and accumulation in fern species growing at arsenic-contaminated sites of southern China: field surveys

Aiming at searching for new arsenic (As) hyperaccumulators, field surveys were conducted at 12 As-contaminated sites located in Guangxi and Guangdong Provinces of southern China. Samples of 24 fern species belonging to 16 genera and 11 families as well as their associated soils were collected and As concentrations in plant and soil samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results show that among 24 fern species, Pteris multifida and P. oshimensis can (hyper)accumulate As in their fronds with high concentrations in addition to P. vittata and P. cretica var. nervosa, which have been previously identified as As hyperaccumulators. Total As concentrations in soils associated with P. multifida and P. oshimensis varied from 1262 to 47,235 mg kg(-1), but the DTPA-extractable As concentrations were relatively low, with a maximum of 65 mg kg(-1). Forty-four of 49 samples of P. multifida collected from five sites and 3 of 13 samples of P. oshimensis collected from one site accumulated over 1000 mg As kg(-1) in their fronds and As concentrations in the fronds were higher than those in the petioles and rhizoids. Although As concentrations in the fronds of P. oshimensis (789 mg kg(-1) averaged, range 301-2142 mg kg(-1)) were comparatively lower than those of P. multifida (1977 mg kg9-1), 624-4056 mg kg(-1)), its high aboveground biomass makes it more suitable for phytoremediating As-contaminated soils. Among all the species in Pteris genus studied, Pteris semipinnata accumulated only very low As concentration in its fronds (8 mg kg(-1), 1-18 mg kg(-1)). Further research is needed to study the differences in As uptake and accumulation among fern species in the same or other genera.     

蜈蚣草中砷超富集的分子机制研究进展

砷是一种毒性很强的类金属元素,土壤砷污染可引发一系列食品安全问题,进而威胁人类健康。蜈蚣草具有极强的富集砷的能力,在砷污染土壤的植物修复中具有重要的应用价值。深入阐释蜈蚣草超富集砷的分子机制是植物修复技术的核心理论基础。文中综述了蜈蚣草超富集砷的组学研究进展,以及目前鉴定到的砷富集过程中的重要分子元件,并对未来的研究方向和趋势进行了展望。     

Expression of a Pteris vittata glutaredoxin PvGRX5 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana increases plant arsenic tolerance and decreases arsenic accumulation in the leaves

Chinese brake fern Pteris vittata hyperaccumulates arsenic in its fronds. In a study to identify brake fern cDNAs in arsenic resistance, we implicated a glutaredoxin, PvGRX5, because when expressed in Escherichia coli , it improved arsenic tolerance in recombinant bacteria. Here, we asked whether PvGRX5 transgenic expression would alter plant arsenic tolerance and metabolism. Two lines of Arabidopsis thaliana constitutively expressing PvGrx5 cDNA were compared with vector control and wild-type lines. PvGRX5-expressors were significantly more tolerant to arsenic compared with control lines based on germination, root growth and whole plant growth under imposed arsenic stress. PvGRX5-expressors contained significantly lower total arsenic compared with control lines following treatment with arsenate. Additionally, PvGRX5-expressors were significantly more efficient in their arsenate reduction in vivo . Together, our results indicate that PvGRX5 has a role in arsenic tolerance via improving arsenate reduction and regulating cellular arsenic levels. Paradoxically, our results suggest that PvGRX5 from the arsenic hyperaccumulator fern can be used in a novel biotechnological solution to decrease arsenic in crops.     

Characteristics of Arsenic Accumulation by Pteris and non-Pteris Ferns

This research was conducted to understand the mechanisms of arsenic hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata by comparing the characteristics of arsenic accumulation in Pteris and non-Pteris ferns. Seven Pteris (P.vittata, P. Cretica Rowerii, P. Cretica Parkerii, P. Cretica Albo-lineata, P. Quadriavrita, P. Ensiformis and P. Dentata) and six non-Pteris (Arachnoides simplicor, Didymochlaena truncatula, Dryopteris atrata, Dryopteris erythrosora, Cyrtomium falcatum, and Adiantum hispidulum) ferns were exposed to 0, 1 and 10 mgL⁻¹ arsenic as sodium arsenate for 14-d in hydroponic systems. As a group, the Pteris ferns were more efficient in arsenic accumulation than the non-Pteris ferns, with P. vittata being the most efficient followed by P. cretica. When exposed to 10 mg L⁻¹ As, arsenic concentrations in the fronds and roots of P. vittata were 1748 and 503 mg kg⁻¹. Though not all Pteris ferns were efficient in accumulating arsenic, none of the non-Pteris ferns was an efficient As accumulator (the highest concentration being 452 mg kg⁻¹). The fact that frond arsenic concentrations in the control were highly correlated with those exposed to As (r ² = 0.76–0.87) may suggest that they may be used as a preliminary tool to screen potential arsenic hyperaccumulators. Our research confirms that the ability of P. vittata to translocate arsenic from the roots to the fronds (73–77% As in the fronds), reduce arsenate to arsenite in the fronds (>50% AsIII in the fronds), and maintain high concentrations of phosphate in the roots (48–53% in the roots) all contributed to its arsenic tolerance and hyperaccumulation.     

Phytoextraction: simulating uptake and translocation of arsenic in a soil-plant system

The uptake, transport, and accumulation of metals by plants are functions central to successful phytoextraction. This study investigates the uptake and translocation of arsenic from a contaminated sandy soil by a mature Chinese brake fern (Pteris vittata L.). An existing mathematical model for the coupled transport of water, heat, and solutes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (CTSPAC) was modified to examine the flow of water as well as the uptake and translocation of total arsenic in the xylem of the fern. This model was calibrated using greenhouse measurements before its application. Simulation results showed that about 20% of the soil arsenic was removed by the fern in 10 d, of which about 90% of the arsenic was stored in the fronds and 10% in the roots. Although arsenic mass in the plant tissues increased consecutively with time, arsenic concentration in the xylem sap of the root tips has a typical diurnal distribution pattern: increasing during the day and decreasing at night, resulting from daily variations of frond surface water transpiration. The largest difference in simulated arsenic concentration in the root tips between the day and night was about 5%. This study also suggests that the use of transpiration stream concentration factor (TSCF), which is defined as the ratio of chemical concentration in the xylem sap to that in the external solution, to evaluate the translocation efficiency of arsenic for the hyperaccumulator Chinese brake fern (Pteris vittata L.) could be limited.     

Intracellular distribution and chemical forms of arsenic in rabbits exposed to arsenate

Inhibition of the methylation of arsenic in rabbits by ip injection of periodate-oxidized adenosine (PAD) prior to an iv injection of⁷⁴As-arsenate (AsV; 0.4 mg As/kg body wt) caused a marked increase in the retention of⁷⁴As in both the cellular organelles and the soluble fractions of liver and kidney. One day after exposure, almost 30% of the arsenic in the liver and about 40% of the arsenic in the kidney was recovered in the nuclear fraction. In the liver nuclei, the inhibition of the methylation increased the⁷⁴As content of the insoluble fraction and most of this arsenic was protein-bound. The major part of the soluble intranuclear⁷⁴As was in the form of AsIII, formed by reduction of the administered AsV. In the liver, PAD also caused a pronounced increase in the⁷⁴As content of the microsomal fraction. In the kidneys, where most of the arsenic was present as AsV, there was a marked accumulation of arsenic in the mitochondria.     

Phytoremediation potential of Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana and Pteris vittata L. grown at a highly variable arsenic contaminated site

This study examined the phytoextraction potential of two arsenic (As) hyperaccumulators, Pteris vittata L. and Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana at a historical As-contaminated cattle dip site in northern New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Total As concentration in the surface soil (0-20 cm) showed a better spatial structure than phosphate-extractable As in the surface and sub-surface soil at this site. P. calomelanos var. austroamericana produced greater frond dry biomass (mean = 130 g plant(-1)) than P. vittata (mean = 81 g plant(-1)) after 10 months of growth. Arsenic concentration and uptake in fronds were also significantly higher in P. calomelanos var. austroamericana (means = 887 mg kg(-1) and 124 mg plant(-1)) than in P. vittata (means = 674 mg kg(-1) and 57 mg plant(-1)). Our results showed that under the field conditions and highly variable soil As at the site, P. calomelanos var. austroamericana performed better than P. vittata. We predict that P. calomelanos var. austroamericana would take approximately 100 years to reduce the total As to below 20 mg kg(-1) at the site compared to > or =200 years estimated for P. vittata. However, long-term data are required to confirm these observations under field conditions.