Mycorrhizal limonium sinuatum (L.) mill. Enhances accumulation of lead and cadmium.
Heavy metals accumulation in soils poses a potential threat to ecosystems, which, in turn, threat human health through food chains. Therefore, remediating polluted sites is important to environment and humanity. In this investigation, statice (L. sinuatum) was exposed to Cd (0, 15, 30, 60 mg kg(-1) soil) or Pb (0, 100, 150, 300 mg kg(-1) soil) in a pot experiment to assess its tolerance to each metal and study its phytoaccumulation capability. The benefits of mycorrhization (mixture of Glomus mosseae and G. intraradices) were also studied simultaneously. Single exposure to Cd or Pb reduced the plant growth, but statice was still relatively tolerant to both metals. The plants accumulated both metals in their roots; little was translocated to the shoots. Total Pb and total Cd accumulated by the roots was approximately 2 and 3 times higher in mycorrhizal than non-mycorrhizal plants (49 versus 147 and 595 versus 956 μg plant(-1)) respectively; however, mycorrhization alleviated metal phytotoxicity. The results suggest that statice is a potential candidate to be used as an ornamental plant in lead and cadmium polluted sites, mainly inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizae. Besides that, it would be useful as a Pb or Cd controlling agent by means of phytostabilization.
a Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources , University of Tehran , Karaj , Iran.
Morteza
M
Sheikh-Assadi
Azizollah
A
Khandan-Mirkohi
Ali
A
Alemardan
Eduardo
E
Moreno-Jiménez
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055137:Glomeromycota / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029606:Plumbaginaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead
Mycorrhizal symbiosis; heavy metals; ornamental plants; phytoremediation; urban landscape