Soil ecotoxicity assessment using cadmium sensitive plants.
Four crop plant species (sweet corn, Zea may; wheat, Triticum aestivum; cucumber, Cucumis sativus; and sorghum, Sorghum bicolor) were tested to assess an ecotoxicity in cadmium-amended soils. The measurement endpoints used were seed germination and seedling growth (shoot and root). The presence of cadmium decreased the seedling growth. The medium effective concentration values (EC50) for shoot or root growth were calculated by the Trimmed Spearman-Karber method. Due to the greater accumulation of Cd to the roots, root growth was a more sensitive endpoint than shoot growth. Bioavailability and transport of Cd within plant were related to concentration and species. The ratio of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in the shoots to the roots indicated high immobilization of Cd in the roots. Seed germination was insensitive to Cd toxicity, and is not recommended for a suitable assay. Among the test plants and test endpoints, root growth of sorghum and cucumber appears to be a good protocol to assess ecotoxicity of soils contaminated by Cd.
An
Youn-Joo
YJ
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (BK21), Seoul National University, San 56-1, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, 151-742, Seoul, South Korea. anyjoo@snu.ac.kr
D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D028462:Cucumis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063245:Plant Development; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D045868:Sorghum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium