Arsenic uptake by plants and possible phytoremediation applications: a brief overview

This review focuses the behaviour of arsenic in plant?Csoil and plant?Cwater systems, arsenic?Cplant cell interactions, phytoremediation, and biosorption. Arsenate and arsenite uptake by plants varies in different environment conditions. An eco-friendly and low-cost method for arsenic removal from soil?Cwater system is phytoremediation, in which living plants are used to remove arsenic from the environment or to render it less toxic. Several factors such as soil redox conditions, arsenic speciation in soils, and the presence of phosphates play a major role. Translocation factor is the important feature for categorising plants for their remediation ability. Phytoremediation techniques often do not take into account the biosorption processes of living plants and plant litter. In biosorption techniques, contaminants can be removed by a biological substrate, as a sorbent, bacteria, fungi, algae, or vascular plants surfaces based on passive binding of arsenic or other contaminants on cell wall surfaces containing special active functional groups. Evaluation of the current literature suggests that understanding molecular level processes, and kinetic aspects in phytoremediation using advanced analytical techniques are essential for designing phytoremediation technologies with improved, predictable remedial success. Hence, more efforts are needed on addressing the molecular level behaviour of arsenic in plants, kinetics of uptake, and transfer of arsenic in plants with flowing waters, remobilisation through decay, possible methylation, and volatilisation.     

A review of recent developments in lake modelling

This paper reviews the lake models published the last five years, mainly in Ecological Modelling. The review shows that structurally dynamic modelling and coupling between hydrodynamic and ecological models are applied increasingly. A number of processes that have not been included in lake models before have been proposed. It has been shown that these additional processes in specific case studies are significant, for instance the competition between phytoplankton and macrophytes or cyanobacteria growth and growth of mussels. It is recommended to study these models for the development of models for case studies where these processes are relevant.     

Nanocarrier-mediated co-delivery systems for lung cancer therapy: recent developments and prospects

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Research has recently focused on combinational therapy using nanocarriers to overcome the obstacles associated with conventional therapy of lung cancer. The...     

高等植物对甲醇的释放和利用

植物可向大气中释放一种挥发性的有机气体——甲醇,同时对这种气体可加以利用。在详细阐述甲醇的产生、释放和可能的代谢机制的基础上,通过不同浓度的甲醇溶液喷施牡丹叶片,测定其对光合作用过程及叶绿素荧光参数变化的影响。结果表明,光合作用有较大改善:光合速率明显提高,气孔导度增加,叶内CO2浓度也有一定幅度改善。叶绿素荧光参数(qN和NPQ)以及电子传递速率(ETR)发生较大改变;Fm/Fo,Fv/Fo和ΦPSII的下降可能与甲醇对牡丹叶片的双向效应(促进性和毒性)有关,这取决于喷施的浓度、次数和时间。初步的结果显示:甲醇提高光合作用速率的同时,并没有伴随光合效率和机能的改善和提高。期间的气孔导度和胞内CO2浓度的提高以及非辐射能耗散(qN和NPQ)和光呼吸的降低可能是牡丹叶片光合作用速率提高的主要原因。     

Vanadium recovery by glycine precipitation

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Research on metal recovery from waste is gaining interest in the context of the circular economy. Actual hydrometallurgical methods allow to recover vanadium from...     

湖南湘西铅锌矿区植物对重金属的积累

调查了湖南湘西铅锌矿区六个矿业废弃地的植被组成,采集了55科、152种共452份植物样品和74份土壤样品,分析了植物及土壤样品Zn、Mn、Cd、Pb和Cu的含量.结果显示,所有植物样品中Zn、Mn、Cd、Pb和Cu的平均含量分别为579、370、90.7、28.6和13.0 mg kg-1(干物质量).采自大田湾样点的满天星(Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides)叶片中镉含量最高,为310 mg kg-1(干物质量),其次是采自三立样点的加拿大杨(Populus canadensis)和地枇杷(Ficus tikoua),它们叶片中镉含量分别为231和212 mg kg-1(干物质量).镉含量超过100 mg kg-1(干物质量)的植物还有大田湾的醴肠(Eclipta prostrata)、鬼针草(Bidens bipinnata)、苦蘵(Physalis angulata)和半边莲(Lobelia chinensis),以及三立的苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)和野艾蒿(Artemisia umbrosa)等,这些植物可能都具有超积累镉的潜力.调查区内,有些植物能积累多种较高浓度的重金属,如美洲商陆(Phytolacca Americana)、苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)、光叶楮(Broussonetia papyrifera)和玉米(Zea mays)等,这些植物可用于重金属污染土壤的植物提取,有些植物如白茅(Imperata cylindrical)和五节芒(Miscanthus floridulus)等虽重金属含量较低,但具有发达的根系,因而可用于重金属污染土壤的植物固定.     

Diffusive gradient in thin films with open and restricted gels for predicting mercury uptake by plants

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The presence of mercury (Hg) in the environment is a major concern because mercury is toxic for living organisms. Estimating the Hg toxicity of environmental...     

几种挺水植物对重金属锌的抗性能力及其影响因素

水生植物已被用于重金属污染水体的生态修复,但不同水生植物对重金属的抗性能力存在差异,选择对重金属抗性和吸收能力强的植物有利于提高污水生态修复效果.以4种挺水植物为材料,通过室内培养实验研究挺水植物对重金属锌的抗性能力及其影响因素,结果表明:挺水植物地上部分铁含量显著(p<0.05)低于根和根表铁氧化物胶膜上铁含量,铁主要积累在挺水植物地下部分.加入高浓度锌时,灯心草(Jancus effuses)和菖蒲(Acorus gramineus)对锌的抗性能力较强,而茭白(Zizania ceduciflora)和美人蕉(Canna indica)则较弱.挺水植物对锌的抗性能力与其根表铁氧化物胶膜含量和地上部分铁含量有关,铁氧化物胶膜可作为一个障碍层,而降低锌对植物的毒害,而植物地上铁与锌竞争植物叶中的代谢性敏感位点而降低锌对植物的毒害.灯心草对锌的抗性能力比较强与其根表铁氧化物胶膜和地上部分铁含量较高有关,灯心草可作为一种工程植物用于锌污染水体的植物修复.     

中国高等植物干质量热值特点

植物干质量热值是植物干物质完全燃烧所释放的能量值,反映了植物光合作用中固定太阳辐射能的能力。文章收集国内已有的129科、460属、1110种维管植物的干质量热值数据,并加上作者自测的8种苔藓植物干质量热值进行统计分析和差异性检验,分析国内高等植物干质量热值特点。结果显示,植物不同器官的平均GCV为繁殖体(19677.23J·g-1)>叶(19518.22J·g-1)>枝(19455.91J·g-1)>皮(19183.12J·g-1)>干(19122.49J·g-1)>根(18701.44J·g-1);群落中不同组分平均GCV的排序是乔木层(19672.48J·g-1)>灌木层(19218.62J·g-1)>凋落物层(18689.86J·g-1)>草本层(17682.47J·g-1)>苔藓层(15645.44J·g-1);在不同生活型的植物中,挺水植物(18492.67J·g-1)>浮水植物(16381.25J·g-1)>沉水植物(14589.09J·g-1);平均GCV多年生草本GCV(17903.28J·g-1)>一年生草本(17652.74J·g-1);常绿型木本植物各器官均大于落叶型木本植物,针叶树种各器官均大于阔叶树种;从不同气候型来看,高纬度地区的温带大陆性季风气候以及高寒大陆性气候的植物平均GCV较高,低纬度的热带季风气候区的植物比亚热带季风气候区的高,温带大陆性半干旱气候区内最低。     

Physiological and metabolic effect of mercury accumulation in higher plants system

Heavy metals, lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are non-essential elements. Plants absorb these metals from soil, water and air through their roots and leaves. Heavy metals are the major environmental pollutants, which spread to soil through the use of pesticides, herbicides and micronutrient fertilizers, industrial effluents, decay of junk materials and sewage sludge, vehicular emissions, re-suspended road dust, diesel generator sets and coal-based thermal power plants. Sewage and sludge have contributed to heavy metal contamination of peri-urban lands and vegetable crops. The present review focuses on the effects of various concentrations of Hg on growth of young and mature seedlings as well as on nitrate reductase activity and nitrate assimilation in intact and excised seedling, especially the mechanism underlying nitrate reductase regulation by this heavy metal. Evidence indicates that mercury exerts significant adverse effects on the physiological activity of plants.     

Trace element uptake in plants grown on fly ash amended soils

Four crop plants were grown in a greenhouse in soils amended with 0, 5, 10, and 20% by weight of coal combustion fly ash to evaluate potential trace element uptake by the vegetation. The leaves and stems from each plant were harvested and analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, Tl, and Zn content during early, middle, and late growth. The trace element data were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine whether the trace element uptake in the four crop plants differed significantly between the soil treatments, and to identify significant differences in trace element uptake through time. The results show that the amount of amended fly ash does not significantly influence the concentration of most trace elements in plant tissue, and that some concentrations actually decrease with time. Although this study did not find a significant increase in trace element uptake, care must be taken in a natural environment where plants may behave differently.     

不同湿地植物的根系酸化作用与重金属吸收

为研究不同湿地植物根系分泌物对水体的酸化能力与重金属吸收积累能力间的关系,选用六种对废水中重金属吸收能力较强的湿地植物进行了盆栽实验.这六种湿地植物分别是:稗(Echinochloa crus-galli)、空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)、茭笋(Zizania latifolia)、鸭舌草(Monochoria vaginalis)、柳叶箬(Isachne globosa)、辣蓼(Polygonum hydropiper).研究结果表明,不同种类的植物对水体的酸化能力存在明显差异,水体pH差异最大可达0.85个单位;不同湿地植物间对重金属的吸收积累能力有显著差异,而且在重金属积累量方面的差异明显高于重金属浓度方面的差异.相关分析表明,不同湿地植物水体pH与植株重金属积累量之间存在较好的负相关关系,相关系数达到或接近P0.05显著水平.研究结果说明,湿地植物对废水中重金属的吸收积累能力在相当大的程度上取决于其根系分泌物对水体的酸化能力.     

4种草对铅锌尾矿污染土壤重金属的抗性与吸收特性

盆栽试验的结果表明,高羊毛、早熟禾、黑麦草、紫花苜蓿在纯尾矿污染土壤或经处理的尾矿污染土壤上都能生长,但在处理的土壤上生长的植物长势明显优于对照,其中紫花苜蓿的生物量所受影响比其他几种草坪草更大,说明其重金属抗性低于其他几种植物。单位面积上 4 种植物体内重金属质量分数高低均为 w(Zn)>w(Pb)>w(Cu)>w(Cd),但每种植物对 Cd、Pb、Zn 和 Cu 的吸收质量分数和分布均不相同,一般为根系质量分数大于茎叶。加入改良剂(CaCO3)和有机肥(菜枯)使生长在铅锌尾矿污染土壤上的 4 种草坪草生物量显著增加,植物体中的 Cd、Pb、Zn 质量分数下降,但 Cu 质量分数反而上升,结果单位面积上草坪草吸收各重金属元素的量均有所增加,可见利用改良措施与草坪草相结合的方法来修复重金属污染土壤具有可行性。     

Soil organic matter and salinity affect copper bioavailability in root zone and uptake by Vicia faba L. plants

Processes that control the mobility, transformation and toxicity of metals in soil are of special importance in the root-developing zone. For this reason, there is a considerable interest in understanding trace elements (TEs) behavior in soil, emphasising the processes by which plants take them up. Increased root-zone salinity can affect plant TEs uptake and accumulation in plant tissue. Furthermore, copper (Cu) complexation by soil organic matter (SOM) is an effective mechanism of Cu retention in soils, controlling thus its bioavailability. Therefore, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of soil Cu contamination in a saline environment on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) element uptake. Treatment with NaCl salinity was applied (control, 50 mM NaCl and 100 mM NaCl) on faba bean plants grown in a control and in a soil spiked with Cu (250 and 500 mg kg^?1). Low and high SOM content trial variants were studied. Cu accumulation occurred in faba bean leaf, pod and seed. Cu contamination affected plant element concentrations in leaves (Na, Ca, Mg, Mn), pod (Zn, Mn) and seed (Mn, Mo, Zn). Root-zone salinity also affected faba bean element concentrations. Furthermore, Cu contamination—salinity and salinity—SOM interactions were significant for pod Cu concentration, suggesting that Cu phytoavailability could be affected by these interactions. Future research will be focused on the mechanisms of Cu translocation in plant and adaptation aspects of abiotic stress.     

金属基工程纳米颗粒与水生高等植物的相互作用：研究现状综述

如今释放到水体环境中的工程纳米颗粒(ENP)数量与日俱增。为确保生态健康,需要进行相关的风险评估。本文综述了金属基ENP与水生高等植物之间的相互作用,找到了信息缺口并提出对未来研究的构想,为在该领域内的进一步探索提供了基础。本文讨论集中在以下3点：1. ENP的生物利用性;2. 生物对ENP的摄取、消化、转移以及生物累积;3. ENP对水生高等植物的毒性效果。由于ENP自身特性所带来的影响不明确以及水质状况记载情况不佳,ENP的摄取及相关动力学方面存在着很大的信息差距。分解似乎是驱动ENP生物累积的一种关键机制,然而纳米颗粒却常常被一些有着极少内化作用的植物的表面所吸收。然而,关于ENP在植物内的内化作用鲜有记载,因此纳米颗粒的内化作用对于生物累积及毒性的影响尚不明确。即使金属基ENP的纳米毒性已被报道,分解依然被认为是其毒性的主要机制。为推动该领域内的研究发展,未来的研究需结合ENP自身特性的影响、水体的理化参数以及它们之间的相互作用。相互作用对于ENP的生物利用性和对水生高等植物健康的风险都有重要影响。为了快速追踪类似数据的产生,我们建议测试方案趋向一致化。
精选自Melusi Thwala, Stephen J. Klaine, Ndeke Musee. Interactions of metal-based engineered nanoparticles with aquatic higher plants: a review of the state of current knowledge. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 35, Issue 7, pages 1677–1694, July 2016. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3364
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.3364/full
     

Lead uptake by Eichhornia Crassipes

Factors influencing uptake of lead(II) by the water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes), were examined. Two phases of uptake were observed for the concentration range investigated (0.01–1000 ppm). The initial, rapid uptake phase of about 4 hours is followed by a slower, near linear phase extending past 24 hours. Stirring the solution enhanced uptake, suggesting that lead removal is in part diffusion limited. In the range of 4–8, pH has little effect on uptake where as outside this range, uptake is reduced. Increased solution volume or rootmass results in more metal being removed by the plant. The presence of strong complexers blocks the initial rapid uptake phase as does the presence of Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), and Fe(III). Strong complexers can also strip a portion of any lead already removed from solution by the plant.     

Insecticidal and antifungal chemicals produced by plants: a review

Leaf-cutting ants of the Attini tribe are a major pest of agricultural and forestry productions in the New World. Economic losses caused by these ants were estimated at several million dollars per year. These ants need to live in symbiosis with a basidiomycete fungus. Due to their mutualistic interaction with the symbiotic fungus, management of Attini ants can be done with insecticides or fungicides or both. So far, synthetic pesticides were the main control means, albeit with negative effects on the environment. Very few studies describe alternative methods for the control of leaf-cutting ants such as the use of insecticidal and fungicidal plant extracts. There is therefore a need of knowledge on phytochemicals and plants that could be used as insecticides and fungicides. Here, we review chemicals of plant origin and species with insecticidal and fungicidal activities. We establish a list of plants and phytochemicals that could manage leaf-cutting ants and also other insects, notably insects that use fungus-based agriculture. An exhaustive literature search of 1965 references from 1923 to 2010 was conducted using scientific databases, chemical databases, botanical databases, and books to identify published papers related to insecticidal and fungicidal chemical compounds stemmed from plant species. The major points are the following: (1) 119 and 284 chemicals have been cited in the literature for their insecticidal and fungicidal activities, respectively; (2) 656 and 1,064 plant species have significant insecticidal and fungicidal activities, respectively; (3) 3 main chemical classes were most cited for these activities: alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenoids; (4) 20 interesting chemicals with the both insecticidal and fungicidal activities were found; and (5) 305 plant species containing these chemicals were cited. To conclude, 20 chemicals: caryophyllene oxide, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, helenalin, linalool, menthone, myristicin, pulegone, thymol, anethole, anisaldehyde, elemicin, isopimpinellin, plumbagin, podophyllotoxin, psoralen, xanthotoxin, anonaine, solamargine, and tomatine; two main plant families, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae; and 17 species of these families were particularly interesting for the management of leaf-cutting ants.     

Diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT) models Cd and Pb uptake by plants growing on soils amended with sewage sludge and urban compost

Food contamination by Cd and Pb is of increasing concern because contaminated composts and sewage sludges are used as soil fertilizers. Indeed, Cd and Pb from sewage sludge and compost can be transferred to plants and, in turn, to food. Predicting the quantity of metals transferred to plants is difficult and actual models are unable to give accurate concentrations. Therefore, new techniques are needed. For instance, diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT) is commonly used to measure metal bioavailability in waters, sediments and soils, but DGT has not been well studied for metal uptake in plants. Moreover, actual models for soil–plant transfer are too complex and require many soil parameters. Here, we simplified the modelization of metal uptake by plants by considering only DGT fluxes and roots surfaces. We grew durum wheat in a greenhouse on sandy soils amended with urban compost or sewage sludge. Results show that Cd uptake was slightly underestimated when whole roots were considered as an absorbing surface. For Pb, the best estimation was found by using root tip surface. Overall, our model ranks correctly the samples but underestimates Pb uptake by 15 % and Cd uptake by 45 %. It is nonetheless a simpler way of modelling by using only DGT fluxes and root system morphology.     

Potential for increased nutrient uptake by flocculating diatoms

Blooms of chain-forming diatoms commonly flocculate into centimeter-sized aggregates of living, vegetative cells following nutrient depletion in surface waters off southern California. We examined the hypothesis that diatom cells within aggregates experience increased nutrient uptake relative to unattached cells. We measured in situ settling velocities of 49 to 190 m d^–1 and calculated porosities of 0.99931 to 0.99984 (±>0.03%) for 12, newly-formed diatom flocs ranging from 0.19 to 4.2 cm³ in volume and 7 to 22 mm in equivalent spherical diameter. Using permeability-porosity relationships, we calculated intra-aggregate flow velocities of 20 to 160 m s^–1. Although subject to considerable uncertainty, a Relative Uptake Factor analysis based on mass transfer equqtions suggests that diatoms fixed within aggregates undergoing gravitational settling can take up nutrients up to 2.1±0.4 times faster than unattached diatoms experiencing laminar shear. Increased nutrient uptake by aggregated diatoms may be importan in understanding the reasons for diatom floc formation.