title: Zinc accumulation and synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Physalis alkekengi L.
abstract: A field survey and greenhouse experiments were conducted using Physalis alkekengi L. to investigate strategies of phytoremediation. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using P. alkekengi. P. alkekengi plants grew healthily at Zn levels from 50 to 5000 mg kg(-1) in soils. The plants incorporated Zn into their aerial parts (with mean dry weight values of 235-10,980 mg kg(-1)) and accumulated biomass (with a mean dry weight of 25.7 g plant(-1)) during 12 weeks. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles showed a polydisperse behavior and had a mean size of 72.5 nm. The results indicate that P. alkekengi could be used for the remediation of zinc-contaminated soils. Moreover, the synthetic method of synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles from Zn hyperaccumulator plants constitutes a new insight into the recycling of metals in plant sources.
authors.affiliation: School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, No. 5268 Renmin street, Changchun 130024, China. qujiao@bhu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xinhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D032321:Physalis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D015032:Zinc; D015034:Zinc Oxide