title: Increased ecological risk due to the hyperaccumulation of As in Pteris cretica during the phytoremediation of an As-contaminated site.
abstract: Ecological risk due to the hyperaccumulation of As in Pteris cretica during phytoremediation was evaluated at an abandoned As-contaminated site. Five receptor groups representing terrestrial invertebrates, avian insectivores, small mammals, herbivores, and omnivores were selected as potentially affected ecological receptors. Soil and food ingestion were considered as major exposure pathways. Phytoremediation was performed with P.cretica only and with both P.cretica and siderophores to enhance plant uptake of As. Ecological hazard index (EHI) values for the small mammal greatly exceeded 1.0 even after three weeks of growth regardless of siderophore application, probably due to its limited home range. For the mammalian herbivore, which mainly consumes plant foliage, the EHI values were greater than 5.73 after seven weeks without siderophore application, but the value increased sharply to 29.3 at seven weeks when siderophores were applied. This increased risk could be attributed to the facilitated translocation of As from roots to stems and leaves in P.cretica. Our results suggest that, when a phytoremediation strategy is considered for metals remediation, its ecological consequences should be taken into account to prevent the spread of hyperaccumulated heavy metals throughout the food chain of ecological receptors. Uncertainties involved in the ecological risk assessment process were also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seulki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Geologic Environment Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahang-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-350, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. Electronic address: kpnam@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyoungphile
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003411:Arvicolinae; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D046091:Charadriiformes; D003670:Deer; D055669:Ecological and Environmental Phenomena; D020387:Food Chain; D009835:Oligochaeta; D032495:Pteris / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017262:Siderophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D017262:Siderophores; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Arsenic; Ecological risk assessment; Phytoremediation; Pteris cretica