Heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected medicinal plants collected from Khetri copper mines and comparison with those collected from fertile soil in Haridwar,India

Heavy metal distribution in medicinal plants is gaining importance not only as an alternative medicine, but also for possible concern due to effects of metal toxicity. The present study has been focused on emphasizing the heavy metal status and bioaccumulation factors of V, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se (essential metals) and Cr, Ni, Cd, As and Pb (potentially toxic metals) in medicinal plants grown under two different environmental conditions e.g., near to Khetri copper mine and those in fertile soils of Haridwar, both in India, using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (relative method) and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The copper levels in the medicinal plants from Khetri were found to be 3-4 folds higher (31.6–76.5 mg kg^?1) than those from Haridwar samples (7.40–15.3 mg kg^?1), which is correlated with very high copper levels (763 mg kg^?1) in Khetri soil. Among various heavy metals, Cr (2.60–5.92 mg kg^?1), Cd (1.47–2.97 mg kg^?1) and Pb (3.97–6.63 mg kg^?1) are also higher in concentration in the medicinal plants from Khetri. The essential metals like Mn (36.4–69.3 mg kg^?1), Fe (192–601 mg kg^?1), Zn (24.9–49.9 mg kg^?1) and Se (0.13–0.91 mg kg^?1) and potentially toxic metals like Ni (3.09–9.01 mg kg^?1) and As (0.41–2.09 mg kg^?1) did not show much variations in concentration in the medicinal plants from both Khetri and Haridwar. The medicinal plants from Khetri, e.g., Ocimum sanctum, Cassia fistula, Withania somnifera and Azadirachta Indica were found rich in Ca and Mg contents while Aloe barbadensis showed moderately high Ca and Mg. Higher levels of Ca-Mg were found to correlate with Zn (except Azadirachta Indica). The bioaccumulation factors (BAFS) of the heavy metals were estimated to understand the soil-to-plant transfer pattern of the heavy metals. Significantly lower BAF values of Cu and Cr were found in the medicinal plants from Khetri, indicating majority fraction of these metals are precipitated and were immobilized species unsuitable for plant uptake. Overall, Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) showed very high metal bioaccumulation.     

Bacterial colonization of the phyllosphere of nineteen plant species and antimicrobial activity of their leaf secondary metabolites against leaf associated bacteria

Summary. The scope of this work was to examine whether leaf constitutive secondary metabolites play a role in determining bacterial colonization of the phyllosphere. To this aim, we surveyed nineteen native or cultivated plant species that share a common bacterial pool in a North Mediterranean area, and estimated the size of total and ice nucleation active (INA) bacterial populations on their leaves. Large differences in the colonization of their phyllosphere were found; the population size of epiphytic bacteria ranged from 7.5 × 10² to 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g fresh weight, in eucalypt and celery, respectively. Species native in Mediterranean-type climate areas, particularly those belonging to the group of aromatic plants, are characterized by scarce presence of INA bacteria. The antibacterial activity of essential oils, surface phenolics and leaf tissue extracts was also estimated against the INA strains P. syringae and E. herbicola, isolated from two of these plant species. E. herbicola proved more sensitive than P. syringae. Of the species examined, oregano [Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link.) Ietswaart], an aromatic plant, had the highest antimicrobial activity, whereas six species showed no activity at all. Further experiments were performed with oregano and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that represent two extremes in their secondary metabolite content. Both plants were inoculated with P. syringae. By the end of incubation, the bacterial population on bean plants was about 100 times higher than that on oregano leaves. Scanning electron micrographs showed that bacterial growth on oregano leaves was confined to sites away from glandular hairs. Results from the bacterial colonization survey together with those from the toxicity tests showed that all species rich in antibacterial secondary metabolites harbored low leaf bacterial populations. These results provide substantial evidence that leaf secondary metabolites function as constitutive defense chemicals against microbial invasions. However, the fact that species with non- or moderately active leaf secondary metabolites are not always highly colonized suggests mediation of other unknown factors, the contribution of which requires further investigation.     

Size distributions and sources of elements in particulate matter at curbside, urban and rural sites in Beijing

Size distributions of 29 elements in aerosols collected at urban, rural and curbside sites in Beijing were studied. High levels of Mn, Ni, As, Cd and Pb indicate the pollution of toxic heavy metals cannot be neglected in Beijing. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates 4 sources of combustion emission, crust related sources, traffic related sources and volatile species from coal combustion. The elements can be roughly divided into 3 groups by size distribution and enrichment factors method (EFs). Group 1 elements are crust related and mainly found within coarse mode including Al, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Fe, Sr, Zr and Ba; Group 2 elements are fossil fuel related and mostly concentrated in accumulation mode including S, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Tl and Pb; Group 3 elements are multi-source related and show multi-mode distribution including Be, Na, K, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Sn and Sb. The EFs of Be, S, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Tl and Pb show higher values in winter than in summer indicating sources of coal combustion for heating in winter. The abundance of Cu and Sb in coarse mode is about 2-6 times higher at curbside site than at urban site indicating their traffic sources. Coal burning may be the major source of Pb in Beijing since the phase out of leaded gasoline, as the EFs of Pb are comparable at both urban and curbside sites, and about two times higher in winter than that in summer.     

Nitrogen deposition alters soil chemical properties and bacterial communities in the Inner Mongolia grassland

Nitrogen deposition has dramatically altered biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on the earth; however, its effects on soil bacterial community and the underlying mechanisms of these effects have not been thoroughly examined. Changes in ecosystems caused by nitrogen deposition have traditionally been attributed to increased nitrogen content. In fact, nitrogen deposition not only leads to increased soil total N content, but also changes in the NH₄⁺-N content, NO₃^--N content and pH, as well as changes in the heterogeneity of the four indexes. The soil indexes for these four factors, their heterogeneity and even the plant community might be routes through which nitrogen deposition alters the bacterial community. Here, we describe a 6-year nitrogen addition experiment conducted in a typical steppe ecosystem to investigate the ecological mechanism by which nitrogen deposition alters bacterial abundance, diversity and composition. We found that various characteristics of the bacterial community were explained by different environmental factors. Nitrogen deposition decreased bacterial abundance that is positively related to soil pH value. In addition, nitrogen addition decreased bacterial diversity, which is negatively related to soil total N content and positively related to soil NO₃^--N heterogeneity. Finally, nitrogen addition altered bacterial composition that is significantly related to soil NH₄⁺-N content. Although nitrogen deposition significantly altered plant biomass, diversity and composition, these characteristics of plant community did not have a significant impact on processes of nitrogen deposition that led to alterations in bacterial abundance, diversity and composition. Therefore, more sensitive molecular technologies should be adopted to detect the subtle shifts of microbial community structure induced by the changes of plant community upon nitrogen deposition.     

五种水生植物对水中铀的去除作用

采用水培实验,研究了浮叶植物野生水葫芦(Eichhornia crassipes)、漂浮植物浮萍(Lemna minor L)、满江红(Azolla imbircata)、沉水植物菹草(Potamogeton crispus)、挺水植物空心莲子草(Alligator Alternanthera Herb)在初始铀浓度分别为0.15、1.50和15.00 mg·L^-1水中的生长状况及它们对水中铀的去除能力.结果表明,在21 d的水培试验期内,满江红对铀表现出了最强的抗性,0.15、1.50和15.00 mg·L^-1的铀对满江红的生长抑制率分别只有4.56%、2.48%和6.79%,而满江红对水中铀的去除率分别达到了94%、97%和92%.进一步的试验表明,每1 L水中种植7.5 g满江红,可以获得最大的铀去除率,将初始铀浓度为1.25、2.50、5.00和10.00 mg·L^-1的水体降至国家排放标准(GB 23727—2009)规定值(0.05 mg·L^-1)以下分别需要17、19、23和25 d.研究结果为进一步开展铀污染水体植物修复的研究打下了基础.     

浅议新大气排放标准发布后火电厂竣工验收监测

2011年7月29日《火电厂大气污染物排放标准》发布后,现有火电厂的“三同时”竣工验收监测需执行新标准中的相关规定。新标准还增加了敏感点环境空气的监测,敏感点的确定可参照环评,根据实际情况布设。新标准中未明确指明“重点地区”指哪些行政区划,为此,本文建议需要在新标准中进一步明确“重点地区”指哪些省等行政区域,以利于新标准的执行。     

贵州名优茶产区土壤-茶叶中重金属污染及迁移

选择贵州省云雾、都匀、湄潭3个典型名优茶产区,采集土壤和茶叶样品进行重金属检测分析。结果表明:贵州省茶园土壤主要重金属污染元素为Cd和Hg,3个茶产区中,湄潭茶产区土壤Cd的超标率最高,达到39.4%,都匀茶产区土壤Hg超标率最高,为24.2%。土壤Cd平均含量表现为都匀茶产区>湄潭茶产区>云雾茶产区,超标率表现为湄潭茶产区>都匀茶产区>云雾茶产区;土壤Hg含量和超标率均表现为都匀茶产区>湄潭茶产区>云雾茶产区。贵州省3个典型名优茶产区茶叶重金属含量均低于国家标准限量,茶叶中Cd、Hg、Cu、Pb含量随土壤中Cd、Hg、Cu、Pb含量增大而增大,不同重金属在茶叶中的富集系数为Cd>Hg>Cu>Pb>Cr>As。     

改良剂对4种木本植物的铅锌耐性、亚细胞分布和化学形态的影响

本研究以4种耐铅锌木本植物夹竹桃(Nerium oleander)、栾树(Koelreuteria paniculata)、泡桐(Paulownia)和苎麻(Boehmeria)为材料,在不同改良剂浓度下(CK组:100%铅锌矿渣±少量磷肥、改良一:85%铅锌矿渣±10%泥炭土±5%菌肥±少量磷肥、改良二:75%铅锌矿渣±20%泥炭土±5%菌肥±少量磷肥),进行了耐性木本植物富集与转移能力以及Pb、Zn在4种木本植物不同部位的亚细胞分布和化学形态分析.结果表明:14种植物种植后基质中重金属的浓度基本低于种植前,夹竹桃与苎麻改良一与改良二之间差异不显著,泡桐改良二效果显著优于改良一,栾树改良一效果显著优于改良二;4种植物地上部对Pb、Zn的富集系数都比较低,但具有较高的转移系数,适当的基质改良有利于提高植物对Pb、Zn的富集与转移能力.2Pb、Zn在4种植物各部位的亚细胞分布以细胞壁组分和可溶性组分为主,在线粒体、叶绿体和细胞核等细胞器组分中分布较少;与CK组相比,两改良组使可溶性组分对Pb的滞留作用和细胞壁对Zn的滞留作用在增强.3Pb在植物各部位的化学形态以盐酸、氯化钠和乙醇提取态为主,其他化学形态含量极少;Zn则以残留态、盐酸、醋酸、氯化钠、水和乙醇提取态这6种形态存在,且都具较高分配比例.与CK组相比,两改良组使植物各部位活性较弱的Pb的化学形态比例减少,活性较强的化学形态比例增加;Zn则是根部活性较强的化学形态比例增加,地上部活性较强的化学形态比例减少.     

南昌市秋季大气PM2.5中金属元素富集特征及来源分析

采集2013年秋季南昌市6个不同区域的大气PM_(2.5)样品,分析PM_(2.5)质量浓度及其中18种金属元素(Mg、Al、K、Ca、Ti、V、Ba、Co、Cr、Mn、Fe、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb、As、Hg)的富集特征,并用多元统计分析法探讨了PM_(2.5)中上述元素主要来源.结果表明,南昌市秋季大气PM_(2.5)日均质量浓度满足《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012)二级标准限值(≤75μg·m~(-3)).Mn、Ti、Al和V的富集因子小于1.0,表明这些元素基本没有富集;Fe、Cr、Co、K、Mg、Ba、Ca、Cu和As的富集因子范围为1.7~7.8,表明这些元素受到自然源和人为源的共同影响;Hg、Zn、Pb、Ni和Cd的富集因子范围为21.9~481.2,表明这些元素受到明显的人为污染.综合相关分析、主成分分析和聚类分析结果表明:PM_(2.5)中Mg、K、Al、Ca、Ti主要来源于土壤及建筑尘;As、Hg主要来自燃煤;Ba、Ni、Mn主要来自金属冶炼排放;V、Cu、Fe、Cd、Pb、Cr、Co主要来自交通源;Zn主要受金属冶炼和燃煤的影响.