Airon José da Silva

Disponibilidade, acúmulo e toxidez de cádmio e zinco em milho cultivado em solo contaminado

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate: (a) the soil Cd and Zn availability to maize plants with and without liming, using the DTPA, EDTA, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3 extractants; (b) The effect of Cd and Zn doses on plant growth and metal accumulation in maize; and (c) toxicity symptoms and anatomical changes in leaves and roots exposed to Cd and zinc. Maize was grown for 30 days in soil contaminated with either Cd (0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 mg kg-1) or Zn (0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 mg kg-1). Highly significant correlations were found between all extractants tested and metal plant contents. The metal addition to soil reduced biomass production and increased Cd and Zn plant contents. The critical toxicity value for Cd in soil varied from 8.7 to 13.1 mg kg-1, whereas for Zn this value lied between 74.1 to 110.7 mg kg-1, depending on liming and extractant type. Interveinal and marginal chlorosis together with necrosis in the leaf apex and along the margins were observed for Zn treatments. On the other hand, leaf chlorosis, shriveling and curling were the most common symptoms in cadmium-damaged plants. Increased cell wall lignification in vascular tissues, epidermis, collenchyma, and endoderm cells were associated to critical toxicity values of Cd and Zn in soil.

LED-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Spectral Analysis for the Early Detection and Monitoring of Cadmium Toxicity in Maize Plants

Chlorophyll fluorescence spectral analysis permits detection, monitoring, and evaluation of abiotic stresses upon healthy plants using illumination of a light source in the UV–VIS spectral range. This technique indirectly assesses the amount of physiological stress caused by photosynthetic damage, specifically damage to photosystem II, in plants. The objective of this study was to detect the toxicity of cadmium in maize plants via spectral analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence. The analysis is noninvasive and nondestructive and is used to follow the temporal evolution of changes in the chlorophyll content and physiological state of Zea mays L. seedlings under cadmium stress. Conventional techniques were also used to evaluate the dry matter production and Cd accumulation in plant leaves. Plants exhibited a notable reduction in dry matter production and chlorophyll levels with the administration of increasing doses of Cd in the nutrient solution. The fluorescence analysis was sensitive to changes caused by Cd in maize plants, detecting damage caused by different treatments before visual symptoms were observed. This technique has a practical application and produces rapid results that can be used in the evaluation of Cd-induced stress in plants and the detection of areas contaminated by this element.

Escória de siderurgia e seus efeitos nos teores de nutrientes e metais pesados em cana-de-açúcar

Several types of slags accumulate in industry and become an environmental problem. Its final disposal as fertilizer in agriculture is a practice that can supply plant nutrients and to correct soil acidity while minimizing the environmental impact. However, there is the need for evaluating the risks of slag addition contaminate soils with heavy metals. This study was carried out to determine the effects of the final disposal of a basic slag on the supply of silicon, macronutrients (Ca, Mg and P), micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni) and heavy metals (Cd and Pb) to sugarcane plants grown on an Ultisol. The basic slag doses (0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0, and 4.0 t ha-1) were applied to the sugarcane at the planting (cultivar RB92579). The results showed that the basic slag increased the concentrations of Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Mn and Zn in soil and reduced the potential acidity. There was an increase in the leaf area and stem height as well as in the Zn concentration in the leaves. Ni, Cd, and Pb were not detected neither in the soil nor in the plant. This indicates that the basic slag tested presented no soil contamination with these heavy metals.

Observation of silicon-mediated alleviation of cadmium stress in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings via LED-induced chlorophyll fluorescence

LED-induced chlorophyll fluorescence analysis is exploited to observe, and monitor the time evolution of silicon-induced alleviation of toxicity in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings in cadmium contaminated soil. Red, and far-red emissions were examined as a function of cadmium-silicon concentrations, during the 20 days period of the seedlings growing process under stress. The chlorophyll fluorescence spectral analysis provided detection, and evaluation of the damage imposed by the metal stress in the early stages of the plant growing process. The technique also provided the time evolution evaluation of the silicon-induced tolerance enhancement of maize plants to cadmium, which is not viable using conventional in vitro spectral analysis techniques

Heavy metal stress detection and monitoring via LED-induced chlorophyll fluorescence analysis of Zea mays L. seedlings aimed at polluted soil phytoremediation

Chlorophyll fluorescence spectroscopy is employed to detect and study the time evolution of metal stress of Zea mays L. seedlings aiming polluted soil phytoremediation. The chlorophyll fluorescence spectra of intact leaves are analyzed using 405 nm LED excitation. Red (Fr) and far-red (FFr) emissions around 685 nm and 735 nm, respectively, are examined as a function of the heavy metal concentration. The fluorescence ratio Fr/FFr was employed to monitor the effect of heavy metal upon the physiological state of the plants before signs of visual stress became apparent. The chlorophyll fluorescence analysis permitted detection and evaluation of the damage caused by heavy metal soil contamination in the early stages of the plants growing process, which is not feasible using conventional in vitro spectral analysis.