Arsenic tolerance and phytoremediation potential of Conocarpus erectus L. and Populus deltoides L.
The present study was conducted to explore arsenic (As) tolerance and phytostabilization potential of the two tree species, buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) and eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides). Both plant species were grown in pots and were exposed to various soil As levels (control, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg kg-1). The plants were harvested after 9 months for the evaluation of growth parameters as well as root and shoot As concentrations. With increasing soil As levels, plant height stress tolerance index (PHSTI) was significantly decreased in both tree species, whereas root length stress tolerance index (RLSTI) and dry matter stress tolerance index (DMSTI) were not affected. Root and shoot As concentrations significantly increased in both tree species with increasing soil As levels. Translocation factor and bioconcentration factor were less than 1.0 for both plant species. This study revealed that both tree species are non-hyperaccumulators of As, but they could be used for phytostabilization of As-contaminated soils.
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Sajad
S
Hussain
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Muhammad
M
Akram
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Ghulam
G
Abbas
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Behzad
B
Murtaza
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Muhammad
M
Shahid
a Department of Environmental Sciences , COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology , Vehari , Punjab , Pakistan.
Noor S
NS
Shah
b Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences , University of Agriculture Faisalabad , Faisalabad , Pakistan.|c MARUM and Department of Geosciences , University of Bremen , Bremen , Germany.
Irshad
I
Bibi
b Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences , University of Agriculture Faisalabad , Faisalabad , Pakistan.|c MARUM and Department of Geosciences , University of Bremen , Bremen , Germany.|d Southern Cross GeoScience , Southern Cross University , Lismore , NSW , Australia.
Nabeel Khan
NK
Niazi
D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D029764:Combretaceae; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D032107:Populus / Q000502:physiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic
Conocarpus erectus; Populus deltoides; arsenic; phytostabilization