Zinc tolerance and accumulation in Pteris vittata L. and its potential for phytoremediation of Zn- and As-contaminated soil.
A field investigation and pot experiments were conducted to determine the potential of arsenic (As) hyperaccumulator, Pteris vittata L., to remediate sites co-contaminated with zinc (Zn) and As. We found that P. vittata L. had a very high tolerance to Zn and grew normally at sites with high Zn concentrations. In addition, P. vittata L. could effectively take up Zn into its fronds, with a maximum of 737 mg kg(-1) under field conditions. In pot experiments, the accumulated Zn concentration increased significantly as the Zn treatment was raised from 0 to 2000 mg kg(-1), with a maximum Zn accumulation of 0.22 mg pot(-1). Although the concentration of As in P. vittata L. was reduced by the addition of Zn, total frond accumulation of As was elevated when the Zn treatment was increased from 0 to 1000 mg kg(-1), with a maximum As accumulation of 8.3 mg pot(-1) in the presence of 1000 mg kg(-1) Zn. The high Zn tolerance, relatively high ability to accumulate Zn, and great capacity to accumulate As under conditions of suppression by high Zn suggest that P. vittata L. could be useful for the remediation of sites co-contaminated with Zn and As.
Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Beijing 100101, PR China.
Zi-Zhuang
ZZ
An
Ze-Chun
ZC
Huang
Mei
M
Lei
Xiao-Yong
XY
Liao
Yuan-Ming
YM
Zheng
Tong-Bin
TB
Chen
D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D051639:Gardening / Q000379:methods; D032495:Pteris / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic