title: Removal of boron from wastewater: Evaluation of seven poplar clones for B accumulation and tolerance.
abstract: Boron (B) contamination of wastewater is a serious environmental and health problem, which has proved difficult to remediate. One potential approach is phytoremediation, i.e., the use of plants to extract B into the shoot systems, which can then be harvested and removed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of seven hybrid poplar clones to accumulate and tolerate B at different levels of B and salinity. The clones were grown in quarter strength Hoagland's nutrient solution and exposed to four B treatments: 0.25, 25, 75 and 125 mg B L-1in factorial combination with three salinity treatments: 0, 0.5 and 5 g L-1. Measurements were made of biomass (dry weight) and B concentrations (analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy) of plant tissues. The results showed that, with increasing level of B supply, the B concentrations in the shoot tissue of the poplar clones increased, while shoot biomass decreased. Comparison of the seven different poplar clones revealed that the clone designated 195-529 exhibited the greatest ability for B accumulation and tolerance. Generally, the 0.5 g L-1level of salinity was beneficial for poplar growth and B removal, while the high salinity level of 5 g L-1significantly inhibited poplar growth and B translocation from roots to shoots. Based on the results obtained with this hydroponic system, the clone 195-529 (P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides) is likely to be the most useful for the removal of B from B contaminated wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Resources and Environment, College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China; Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, United States.
authors.forename: Zhifan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, United States.
authors.forename: Alicia A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, United States.
authors.forename: Savina R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Astor
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, United States; Research Center for Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Department of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang, 421002, China.
authors.forename: Junliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, United States. Electronic address: nterry@Berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Terry
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D001895:Boron / Q000378:metabolism*; D018527:Hydroponics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D032107:Populus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D054712:Salinity; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001895:Boron; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Boron; Hybrid poplar clone; Phytoremediation; Salinity stress; Tolerance