title: Photosynthetic pigments and peroxidase activity of Lepidium sativum L. during assisted Hg phytoextraction.
abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate metabolic answer of Lepidium sativum L. on Hg, compost, and citric acid during assisted phytoextraction. The chlorophyll a and b contents, total carotenoids, and activity of peroxidase were determined in plants exposed to Hg and soil amendments. Hg accumulation in plant shoots was also investigated. The pot experiments were provided in soil artificially contaminated by Hg and/or supplemented with compost and citric acid. Hg concentration in plant shoots and soil substrates was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-AAS) method after acid mineralization. The plant photosynthetic pigments and peroxidase activity were measured by standard spectrophotometric methods. The study shows that L. sativum L. accumulated Hg in its aerial tissues. An increase in Hg accumulation was noticed when soil was supplemented with compost and citric acid. Increasing Hg concentration in plant shoots was correlated with enhanced activation of peroxidase activity and changes in total carotenoid concentration. Combined use of compost and citric acid also decreased the chlorophyll a and b contents in plant leaves. Presented study reveals that L. sativum L. is capable of tolerating Hg and its use during phytoextraction assisted by combined use of compost and citric acid lead to decreasing soil contamination by Hg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Institute of General Food Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 4/10 Stefanowskiego Str, 90-924, Lodz, Poland. beata.smolinska@p.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7655-5262
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smolinska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Institute of General Food Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 4/10 Stefanowskiego Str, 90-924, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leszczynska
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D031220:Lepidium sativum / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll; C085815:chlorophyll a'; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Carotenoids; Chlorophylls; Hg; Lepidium sativum L.; Peroxidase; Pheophytins; Phytoextraction