title: Effects of co-cropping Bidens pilosa (L.) and Tagetes minuta (L.) on bioaccumulation of Pb in Lactuca sativa (L.) growing in polluted agricultural soils.
abstract: Polluted agricultural soils are a serious problem for food safety, with phytoremediation being the most favorable alternative from the environmental perspective. However, this methodology is generally time-consuming and requires the cessation of agriculture. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate two potential phytoextractor plants (the native species Bidens pilosa and Tagetes minuta) co-cropped with lettuce growing on agricultural lead-polluted soils. The concentrations of Pb, as well as of other metals, were investigated in the phytoextractors, crop species, and in soils, with the potential risk to the health of consumers being estimated. The soil parameters pH, EC, organic matter percentage and bioavailable lead showed a direct relationship with the accumulation of Pb in roots. In addition, the concentration of Pb in roots of native species was closely related to Fe (B. pilosa, r = 0.81; T. minuta r = 0.75), Cu (T. minuta, r = 0.93), Mn (B. pilosa, r = 0.89) and Zn (B. pilosa, r = 0.91; T. minuta, r = 0.91). Our results indicate that the interaction between rhizospheres increased the phytoextraction of lead, which was accompanied by an increase in the biomass of the phytoextractor species. However, the consumption of lettuce still revealed a toxicological risk from Pb in all treatments.
authors.affiliation: a Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, Pollution and Bioindicator section, Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: Carolina Vergara
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Cid
authors.affiliation: a Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, Pollution and Bioindicator section, Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: Judith Hebelen
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: a Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, Pollution and Bioindicator section, Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: María Julieta
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: a Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, Pollution and Bioindicator section, Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.affiliation: a Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, Pollution and Bioindicator section, Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: María Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pignata
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D001118:Argentina; D031176:Bidens / Q000378:metabolism*; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism*; D018545:Lactuca / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D031686:Tagetes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead
keywords: B. pilosa; Lactuca sativa; T. minuta; co-cropping phytoremediation; food safety