Uncommon heavy metals,metalloids and their plant toxicity: a review

Heavy metals still represent a group of dangerous pollutants, to which close attention is paid. Many heavy metals are essential as important constituents of pigments and enzymes, mainly zinc, nickel and copper. However, all metals, especially cadmium, lead, mercury and copper, are toxic at high concentration because of disrupting enzyme functions, replacing essential metals in pigments or producing reactive oxygen species. The toxicity of less common heavy metals and metalloids, such as thallium, arsenic, chromium, antimony, selenium and bismuth, has been investigated. Here, we review the phytotoxicity of thallium, chromium, antimony, selenium, bismuth, and other rare heavy metals and metalloids such as tellurium, germanium, gallium, scandium, gold, platinum group metals (palladium, platinum and rhodium), technetium, tungsten, uranium, thorium, and rare earth elements yttrium and lanthanum, and the 14 lanthanides cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lutetium, neodymium, promethium, praseodymium, samarium, terbium, thulium and ytterbium.     

Some characteristics of the distribution of heavy metals in urban topsoil of Xuzhou,China

An assessment is presented of distribution characteristics of heavy metals in the urban topsoil from the city of Xuzhou. The concentrations of Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pd, Pt, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, V and Zn have been determined from 21 soil samples. Examination of lognormal distribution plots indicates that the diagrams of Al, Be, Fe, Ga, Li, and V are almost linear suggesting that these metals are almost unaffected by anthropogenic activities while the plots for As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Pd, Pt, Se, Zn and others are not linear probably due to anthropogenic activities from which these metals are delivered to the soils. Al is used for mineralogical normalization of these data. An evaluation of background values for topsoil is also carried out by means of lognormal distribution plots. The results show our background values obtained from the lognormal distribution plots are comparable to those values of uncontaminated soils of Xuzhou obtained by previous work except for Cd and Hg. At present, no explanation for the exceptions Cd and Hg can be given.     

A contribution to the distribution of some chemical elements inMolinia caerulea andEriophorum vaginatum during reinstatement of the Leegmoor,Emsland, FRG

The concentrations of Ag, Al, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sr, Ti, V and Zn were determined by AES/ICP inMolinia caerulea andEriophorum vaginatum grown in the Leegmoor, which is in reinstatement. In the soil substrate analytical detection limits were obtained for Ag, Co, Li, Mo and Rb and additionally for Al, Be, Cd, Cr, La, Li, Ni, Pb, Ti and V in plants. Compared with mineral soils, the concentration of elements in peat is low. The elements K and P were enriched byMolinia caerulea andEriophorum vaginatum, and in addition Mn and Zn byEriophorum vaginatum. Altogether the ability of accumulation essential elements seem to be more efficient byEriophorum vaginatumthan byMolinia caerulea, which can be an ecophysiological advantage on peats, whereMolinia caerulea is normally not distributed.     

城市生活垃圾有机组分厌氧发酵产氢和甲烷

为了提高能源回收效率,采用大米、土豆、生菜、瘦肉、花生油和榕树叶作为实验原料,模拟有机垃圾中普遍存在的淀粉、膳食纤维、蛋白质、脂肪和木质纤维类成分,进行厌氧发酵产氢以及对其剩余物厌氧发酵产甲烷.结果表明.在厌氧发酵产氢阶段,整个过程没有甲烷生成,大米、土豆、生菜、瘦肉、花生油和榕树叶的氢气产率分别为125、103、35、0、5和0 mL g-1(VS),能源回收效率分别为7.9%、6.8%、1.9%、0、0.1%和0.大米、土豆和生菜的氢气浓度分别为34%～59%、41%～56%和37%～70%,整个产氢阶段没有甲烷生成.在厌氧发酵产甲烷阶段,上述原料的甲烷产率分别为232、237、148、278、866和50 mL g-1(VS),生物气中甲烷含量分别为42%～70%、57%～71%、73%～77%、59%～73%、68%～80%和54%～74%.厌氧发酵联产氢气和甲烷整个过程上述原料的能源回收效率分别为56.3%、58.4%、28.8%、39.2%、81.2%和8.8%,总COD去除率分别为72.30%、81.70%、32.63%、47.59%、97.46%和11.29%.图4表5参35     

鼻咽癌与土壤环境中化学元素的相关性研究

利用土壤元素数据２０６９４４８个，鼻咽癌死亡调查资料２２５６０例，研究了鼻咽癌死亡率与土壤环境中６１个元素质量分数的相关性。结果表明，汞、铅、硒、针、锡、钛、钽、溴、碘元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率呈非常显著的正相关；铪元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率呈显著的正相关；铟、镱、镥、铀、锆、铋、碲元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率呈较显著的正相关。锰、钠、镁、钙、锶元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率呈非常显著的负相关；钾、钡元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率呈较显著的负相关。钒、铷、铯、银、铝、镓、铊、钪、钇、镧、铈、钕、钆、镝、钬、铒、铥、钼、钨、铁、砷、镉、钴、铬、铜、氟、镍、锌、锂、铍、硼、镨、钐、铕、铽、锗、锑元素质量分数与鼻咽癌死亡率无明显的相关性。     

Concentration of polyvalent metals by seaweeds in Vostok Bay,Sea of Japan

Spectrophotometric methods were used to measure the contents of the polyvalent metals Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo and Zn in 16 species of red, brown, and green seaweeds and 2 species of higher water plants collected from the intertidal and sublittoral zones of Vostok Bay, Sea of Japan. Some of the species displayed a unique capability for increased accumulation of groups of several metals. We have termed this ability specific group concentration. Thus, Ptilota filicina concentrates Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mo; Polysiphonia japonica Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Zn, Mo, and Cr; Rhodomela larix Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cr; Agarum cribrosum Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cr; Ulvaria splendens Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu; Ulva fenestrata Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu; Enteromorpha prolifera Mn, Co, Zn, Mo, and Cr; codium yessoensis V, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cr; Zostera asiatica Ti, Mn, Ni, and Mo; Phyllospadix iwatensis Ti, V, Mn, Fe, and Zn. Specific group concentration makes possible a new approach to the study of active transport of polyvalent metals, physiologically significant for live organisms, through cell membranes, and the study of the formation of complex metal compounds inside the cell, i.e., the study of the processes that determine the degree of element concentration. The contents of the metals studied in sea water and the accumulation coefficients were also determined. The variation range is extremely high both for the seaweed species and metals investigated. Maximum coefficients were noted for Mn: 1.8·10⁵; Ti: 4.4·10⁴; Fe: 2.4·10⁴; Cr: 1.2·10⁶.     

Nervous signs of salt poisoning in Wistar rats

Acute salt poisoning in animals leads to inflammation, gastroenteritis, and diarrhea. Neurological signs include blindness, muscular paralysis, deafness, and general weakness. In this study, nervous signs of salt poisoning in rats were examined. Twenty five Wistar rats, weighing 200 ± 20 g, were allocated randomly to five groups: 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% salt solution and control group drank tap water. Following salt solution consumption, physical and neurological examinations were performed twice daily. One percent salt solution did not produce significant neurological signs, whereas consuming 2% salt solution was associated with different nervous system effects including muscle tremor, lethargy, hyperreflexia, imbalance in movement, and rotatory rhythmic movements. Consumption of 3% and 4% salt solutions led to reduction in hearing acuity, deafness, blindness, lethargy, severe complications, intracranial hemorrhage, and mortality in a period less than one week. Consuming salt solutions higher than 1% was associated with continuous water loss, dehydration, and weight loss and concordant with these changes, hypernatremia and hyperosmolarity occurred. Decrease in sensitivity to stimuli, irritability, disorientation and incoordination, involuntary movements, ataxia, sensory and motor disturbances, blindness, weakness, respiratory distress, colonic seizures and coma, sudden and unexplained deaths were observed in affected animals.     

广州市园林绿化植物苗木对二氧化硫和二氧化氮吸收能力分析

采用人工模拟熏气法,研究了36种广州市园林绿化植物对SO2和NO2气体吸收净化能力,以系统聚类分析方法为依据,将参试植物的吸收净化能力划分为强性、较强、中等、较弱及弱5个等级。结果显示,在不同SO2质量浓度（0.259和0.448 mg.m-3）环境下,黄槐、鸡冠刺桐、红花银桦、木棉、红千层、大花紫薇、复羽叶栾树吸收SO2能力具有强或较强的能力,而罗汉松、竹柏、深山含笑、乐昌含笑、观光木、樟树、阴香、双翼豆、印度紫檀、大花五桠果、长芒杜英、五月茶、海南蒲桃、芒果、海南红豆、糖胶树和幌伞枫吸收SO2能力表现为较弱或弱;在NO2质量浓度（0.149和0.428 mg.m-3）环境下,黄槐、黄葛榕、红花银桦、红千层、麻楝、复羽叶栾树、大花紫薇和小叶榄仁吸收净化NO2能力为较强或强,而深山含笑、五月茶、芒果、海南红豆、糖胶树和桂花叶片对NO2吸收能力表现为较弱或弱。在不同SO2和NO2浓度环境下,黄槐、红花银桦、红千层、复羽叶栾树和大花紫薇叶片对SO2和NO2吸收净化能力表现为强或较强,而深山含笑、五月茶、芒果、海南红豆、糖胶树叶片对SO2和NO2吸收净化能力为较弱或弱。研究结果为珠三角城市功能型园林植物选择和广东生态景观林带建设提供科学依据。     

我国土壤中苏云金芽孢杆菌的分离与基因型的鉴定

从我国20个省市采集176份土壤中分离出苏云金芽孢杆菌51株.以cry1,cry2,cry3,cry4,cry-n,cry7,cry8,cry11,cry13和cyt的引物作PCR分析.结果表明:4株含有cry4,12株含有cry7,4株含有cry8,4株含有cry1,2株同时含有cry1和cry2,27株无PCR产物.未检测到其它基因型.经电镜扫描伴胞晶体形态多种多样,主要有菱形、球形、方形、多边形和不规则形.图3表3参15     

Polychaete feeding guilds from Georges Bank,USA

Based on 408 quantitative samples distributed over two seasons (winter and spring) and 42 stations, from Georges Bank, New England, USA, the feeding guild classification presented by Fauchald and Jumars was examined. Hypotheses involving the association of particular feeding guilds with environmental variables were posed and tested. In this study, herbivore, motile, jawed (HMJ); filtering and surface deposit feeding, sessile or discretely motile, and tentaculate (F-SD-SDT); burrowing, sessile, non-jawed (BSX); surface deposit feeding, motile, non-jawed (SMX); carnivore, motile, jawed (CMJ), and filter feeding, discretely motile, non-jawed (FDT) were the major feeding guilds of polychaetes. There were more significant associations between feeding guilds and depth, dissolved oxygen, and mean phi and gravel than any other environmental variables. Some significant relationships between feeding guilds and depth, fine-grained sediment, nutrition in sediment (carbon, nitrogen, bacterial biomass, and microbial biomass) emerged. Burrowing, motile, non-jawed (BMX), surface deposit feeding, discretely motile, tentaculate (SDT) and FDT increased with depth. BMX, BSX, and FDT increased with carbon, microbial biomass, and nitrogen, respectively. Some preliminary polychaete feeding surfaces were posed. Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank were characterized by HMJ and F-SD-SDT; Northern Slope by FDT; Southern Slope by FDT and HMJ; Southwestern Slope by HMJ, SMX, BMX; and the Gulf of Maine by F-SD-SDT, SDT and surface deposit feeding, sessile, tentaculate (SST).     

淮南市城区地表灰尘重金属分布特征及生态风险评价

城市地表灰尘中重金属会对人体健康和生态环境产生危害,为研究城市中不同功能区地表灰尘重金属的含量和潜在生态危害水平,以典型煤炭资源型城市淮南市的地表灰尘为研究对象,采集工业区、商业区、交通区、文教区、居住区和公园绿地等6种功能用地共40个点位的地表灰尘。采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱（ICP-OES）和DMA-80直接测汞仪测定Zn、Pb、Cu、Cr、Cd、Ni、Co、V、Hg的含量,分析其在不同功能区地表灰尘中的分布特征、相关性及可能的来源;并应用潜在生态危害指数法对重金属在不同功能区的潜在生态危害进行评价。结果表明：1）淮南市地表灰尘中 Zn、Pb、Cu、Cr、Cd、Ni、Co、V、Hg的平均质量分数分别是202.59、74.63、62.74、110.69、0.57、35.82、12.18、50.95和0.105 mg·kg-1,其中Zn、Pb、Cu、Cr、Cd、Ni、Hg的平均含量分别是淮南市土壤背景值的3.47、3.17、2.04、1.21、9.50、1.12、2.56倍,是中国土壤背景值的2.73、2.87、2.78、1.81、5.88、1.33、1.62倍。2）9种重金属中,Zn和V的含量在不同功能区分布相对均匀,其他重金属在不同功能区含量均表现出较明显的空间异质性。3）不同功能区中,Zn、Pb、Cu、Ni、Co、V、Hg的平均含量在工业区最高,Cr 和 Cd 的平均含量在交通区最高。4）不同重金属的相关性表明,Zn、Pb、Cu、Cd、Ni 等5种元素有同一来源,Co 和 V 有同一来源。5）单项潜在生态危害系数大小为 Cd〉Hg〉〉Pb〉Cu〉Ni〉Co〉Zn〉Cr〉V。不同功能区9种重金属复合生态危害均处于强生态危害水平（300≤RI〈600）,其中工业区和交通区潜在生态危害水平最高。     

芜湖市区土壤重金属污染评价及来源分析

对芜湖市区153个土壤样品中9种重金属的含量进行测定和评价,利用多元地统计方法进行污染来源分析。结果表明：芜湖市区土壤Zn、Fe、Mn、Cu、Pb、Co、Cd、Ni、Cr的平均含量分别为96.8、30600.1、466.1、35.0、29.1、16.7、1.2、26.3、78.3mg/kg;除Fe、Mn、Ni外,其他元素均高于相应土壤背景值,Zn、Cu、Pb、Co、Cd、Cr分别是背景值的1.26、1.09、1.17、1.20、6.11、1.29倍,说明这些元素出现了一定程度的积累。单因子评价结果表明Cd污染最为严重,Zn、Cu、Pb、Co和Cr为轻度污染,Fe、Mn和Ni没有污染。综合相关性、聚类及主成分分析可知,Fe和Mn为＂自然源因子＂,不同功能区分布主要受成土母质控制;Zn、Cu、Pb和Cd为＂交通及工业活动因子＂,Cu、Cd高值区均分布在开发区,Zn和Pb的高值区分布在镜湖区;Ni、Co和Cr为＂农业活动因子＂,其空间变异受成土母质及农业活动等因素影响。     

姬松茸中Cu,Zn,Ag,Cd和Hg累积特性的初步研究

对三种不同产地的姬松茸子实体,经过微波消解后,采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法(ICP- OES)、原子吸收光谱法(AAS)和原子荧光光谱法(AFS)测定了其中Ag,Al,As,Au,B,Ba,Bi,Ca,Cd,Cr,Co,Cu,Fe,Hg,K,La,Mg,Mn,Mo,Na,M,P,Pb,Rb,S,Sb,Se,Sn,Sr,Ti,V和Zn等32种元素的含量,并用高效液相色谱和电感耦合等离子质谱联用技术(HPLC-ICP-MS)分析了其中Hg元素的形态.另外,还探讨了Cu,Zn,Ag,Cd,Hg及一些相关元素在姬松茸子实体不同部位的分布特征.研究表明:与一些常见种类的大型真菌相比,姬松茸对Cu,Zn,Ag,Cd,Hg具有较强的累积能力,累积的Hg主要以Hg~(2 )形态存在,CH_3Hg~ 占总Hg比例在15%以下.Cu,Zn,Ag,Cd和Hg在姬松茸子实体不同部位的分布特征为:从菌柄下部到上部、从菌盖中心到边缘元素含量逐渐增加;P有助于提高姬松茸对Cu,Zn,Ag,Cd,Hg的累积能力,而Ca似乎起拮抗作用.     

Urban Geochemistry: A Multimedia and Multielement Survey of a Small Town in Northern Europe

The concentrations and distributions of chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W and Zn) were studied in till, humus and urban soil in Jakobstad, a small town (20,000 inhabitants) in W. Finland. The analyses were performed with ICP-MS after aqua regia leaching of till (n = 37), urban topsoil (n = 32) and subsoil (n = 32), and HNO3 leaching of humus (n = 37). The till and humus samples, collected at the same sites, were divided into urban and rural samples. The urban till was not significantly enriched in metals. In contrast, a majority of the elements occurred in higher concentrations in the urban than the rural humus samples. Statistical and spatial interpretations of the humus data revealed that traffic (Pb, V and Ni), metal industry (Pb, Zn, Bi, Sb and Cr), an abandoned shooting range (Pb and Sb) and other sources contribute to higher metal levels in the urban humus. The urban soil samples were collected at parks, yards, abandoned industrial sites, roadsides, etc. The topsoil samples were enriched in most elements, also by elements not enriched in the urban humus (e.g. Cd). At several sites, the concentrations far exceeded the limit concentrations for contaminated soils in Finland. A large variety of sources were identified or indicated.     

Differential effect of cadmium and mercury on growth and metabolism of Solanum melongena L. seedlings

The present investigation reports the results of the effect of cadmium and mercury individually on seed germination, seedling growth, number of lateral roots, fresh and dry weights and seedling metabolism in Solanum melongena. Effect of different concentrations of these two heavy metals (Cadmium--50, 100, 300, 500, 700, 1000, 3000, 5000, 7000 and 9000 ppm and Mercury--5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 ppm) and durations for 6, 12 and 24 h were employed for all seedling parameters of brinjal. Both Cd and Hg showed drastic effects at high concentrations and longer duration with regard to seedling growth and metabolism.     

Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Muscle with Relation to the Growth of Two Marine Fish Species

Heavy metal concentrations in muscle and their relation to thegrowth of two marine fish species,including tonguefish( Cynoglossus arel) and mullet( Mugil cephalus),were studied. The samples were collected in Bach Dang estuary andconcentrations of heavy metals( As,Cd,Co,Mn,Cu,Zn,Pb,and V) in muscle of the fisheswere determined. The result showed that the accumulated trend of heavy metal is different between fish species. The concentration of As,Zn,Mn,V,Cu,Pb,Co and Cd in tonguefish were 73. 7 ± 30. 6,22. 82 ± 4.87,3. 44 ± 2. 13,1. 61 ± 0. 15,0. 71 ± 0. 13,0. 45 ± 0. 24,0. 03 ± 0. 02 and 0. 02 ± 0. 02 mg·g-1,respectively. Meanwhile the concentration of Zn,As,V,Mn,Cu,Pb,Co and Cd in mullet were 83. 41 ±19. 68,9. 78 ± 1. 92,1. 36 ± 0. 54,1. 29 ± 0. 51,0. 65 ± 0. 12,0. 42 ± 0. 20,0. 06 ± 0. 03 and0. 03 ± 0. 01mg·g-1,respectively. Comparison of metal levels among thesespecies indicated that the concentrations of As and Mn in tonguefish were significantly higher than those in mullet,whereas Zn levels in mullet were found to be higher than that in tonguefish. There is no significant differences of Cd,Co,Cu,Pb and V levels in muscle between two species. Significant inversed relationshipsbetween concentration levels of metals and lengths of tonguefish were found for Mn,Cu and Zn,butnot for As,Cd,Pb,and V. There were no significant relationships between the heavy metal concentrations and the length of mullet. In general,decreasesof the heavy metal concentrations corresponded to the increases of fish body lengths,particularly for As,Co,Cu,Mn and V and the exception for Cd. Terefore reduced risks were associated with consuming biggermullet fish,and increased risks of As and Cd were associated with consuming bigger tonguefish in Bach Dang river mouth.     

Potentially toxic elements in some fresh water bodies in Ethiopia

A total of thirty three water samples were collected from Tinishu Akaki River, Lake Awassa, and Lake Ziway, Ethiopia. Multi-element determination of trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Ag, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb) in water samples was carried out by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after acidification with 1% HNO₃. The concentration (in µg?L^?1) of the elements were in the range of 1.0–19, <0.42–83, 1.1–1580, <45–1760, <0.11–2.0, 0.43–13, 0.77–13, 6–300, <0.94–2.0, <0.3–1.5, <0.012–0.63, 0.13–4.8, <0.29, and 0.2–7.2 for V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Ag, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb, respectively. The concentrations of all the quantified elements, with the exception of Mn, were in the range of the permissible limits of the Ethiopian, European Community, and World Health Organization for both drinking water quality guidelines and irrigation water guidelines. The accuracy of the method was validated by analyzing trace elements in water standard reference material (SRM 1643e). The measured values of trace elements in the SRM agreed well with the certified values at the 95% confidence level.     

5种水培蔬菜对金属元素富集水平研究

检测分析了5种水培蔬菜中4种常量金属元素、18种稀有金属元素以及10种重金属元素含量,并与对照组陆生蔬菜金属元素含量进行比较,评价水培蔬菜的食用安全性。结果表明,污染水体中水培蔬菜的金属元素富集水平是不同的。常量金属元素平均富集系数为2~150倍;稀有元素平均富集量总体上高于陆生蔬菜;重金属元素富集系数大多在10倍左右,与陆生蔬菜重金属元素含量相比,两者均在同一水平,低于国家2001年10月1日执行的蔬菜农产品安全质量标准。     

Determination of Trace Elements in Marine Sediments Collected Between the Volturno River and the Circeo Cape (Tyrrhenian Sea)

The determination of Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Gd, Hf, Mn, Rb, Sb, Sc, Ta, Tb, Th, Zn, Zr and Yb by instrumental neutron activation analysis in sediment samples collected from the Gulf of Gaeta (Central Tyrrhenian Sea) is described. The granulometric fractions of the sediments were grouped by cluster analysis into three granulometric facies (sand, clayey silt, and silty clay) which were then assumed to be the main factors controlling the distribution patterns of the elements. This assumption was confirmed by a discriminant analysis carried out on the trace element data.     

Chemical composition of plant silica phytoliths

Silica phytoliths are a subgroup of biogenic opal. Silica phytoliths are formed in many plant species and remain preserved in soil and sediments after plant decay. The chemical composition of fossil phytoliths may reveal ancient plant taxa, soil composition and climate. However, actually detailed knowledge on silica phytolith composition is scarce. Here we present result of instrumental neutron activation analysis of barley awns, stems and leaves, and barley phytoliths. The elements of interest were Na, Mg, Al, Si, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Th, and U. We compared three phytolith extraction methods: dry ashing, acid digestion, and acid digestion followed by incineration. We found that sole acid digestion is inefficient to remove organic matter. By contrast both dry ashing and acid digestion followed by incineration are suitable for phytolith analysis. Comparison of phytoliths with their source plant material shows that phytoliths are enriched in terrigenous elements such as Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cs, Fe, rare earth elements, and depleted in the major inorganic constituents of plants such as K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cl and Br.