Ye-Tao Tang

Mitigation effects of silicon rich amendments on heavy metal accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) planted on multi-metal contaminated acidic soil

The mechanisms of stabilization by silicon-rich amendments of cadmium, zinc, copper and lead in a multi-metal contaminated acidic soil and the mitigation of metal accumulation in rice were investigated in this study. The results from a pot experiment indicated that the application of fly ash (20 and 40gkg(-1)) and steel slag (3 and 6gkg(-1)) increased soil pH from 4.0 to 5.0-6.4, decreased the phytoavailability of heavy metals by at least 60%, and further suppressed metal uptake by rice. Diffusion gradient in thin-film measurement showed the heavy metal diffusion fluxes from soil to solution decreased by greater than 84% after remediation. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the mobile metals were mainly deposited as their silicates, phosphates and hydroxides in amended treatments. Moreover, it was found metal translocation from stem to leaf was dramatically restrained by adding amendments, which might be due to the increase of silicon concentration and co-precipitation with heavy metals in stem. Finally, a field experiment showed the trace element concentrations in polished rice treated with amendments complied with the food safety standards of China. These results demonstrated fly ash and steel slag could be effective in mitigating heavy metal accumulation in rice grown on multi-metal contaminated acidic soils.

Antioxidative response to Cd in a newly discovered cadmium hyperaccumulator, Arabis paniculata F.

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to study the effect of cadmium (Cd) on growth, Cd accumulation, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and antioxidative enzymes in leaves and roots of Arabis paniculata F., a new Cd hyperaccumuator found in China. The results showed that 22-89 microM Cd in solution enhanced the growth of A. paniculata after three weeks, with 21-27% biomass increase compared to the control. Cd concentrations in shoots and roots increased with increasing Cd supply levels, and reached a maximum of 1662 and 8670 mg kg(-1) Cd dry weight at 178 microM Cd treatment, respectively. In roots, 22-89 microM Cd reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide (O(2)(-1)) and H(2)O(2) as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR). In leaves, the contents of MDA, O(2)(-1) and H(2)O(2) remained unaffected by 22-89 microM Cd, while 178 microM Cd treatment significantly increased the MDA content, 69.5% higher than that of the control; generally, the activities of SOD, catalase (CAT), GPX and APX showed an increasing pattern with increasing Cd supply levels. Our present work concluded that A. paniculata has a great capability of Cd tolerance and accumulation. Moderate Cd treatment (22-89 microM Cd) alleviated the oxidative stress in roots, while higher level of Cd addition (178 microM) could cause an increasing generation of ROS, which was effectively scavenged by the antioxidative system.

Cadmium tolerance of carbon assimilation enzymes and chloroplast in Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Picris divaricata.

To better understand the photosynthesis under stress, the effect of cadmium on carbon assimilation and chloroplast ultrastructure of a newly found Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Picris divaricata in China was investigated in solution culture. The shoot and root Cd concentrations increased with increase in Cd supply, reaching maxima of 1109 and 5604mgkg(-1) dry weight at 75microM Cd, respectively. As Cd supply to P. divaricata increased, the shoot and root dry weight, leaf water content (except 75microM Cd), concentrations of chlorophyll a and b, chlorophyll a/b ratio and the concentration of carotenoids were not depressed at high Cd. However, the stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate and intercellular CO(2) concentration were significantly affected when the Cd concentration reached 10, 10, 25 and 75microM, respectively. Meanwhile, carbonic anhydrase (CA; EC 4.2.1.1) activity and Rubisco (EC 4.1.1.39) content reached maxima in the presence of 50 and 5microM Cd, respectively. In addition, CA activity correlated positively with shoot Cd in plants treated with Cd at a range of 0-50microM. Moreover, the activities of NADP(+)-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.13), Rubisco and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) were not significantly suppressed by increased Cd supply. Although the mesophyll cell size was reduced, chloroplast ultrastructure remained intact at the highest Cd treatment. Our finding revealed that P. divaricata chloroplast and the enzymes of carbon assimilation tolerate high levels of Cd, demonstrating its potential in possible application in phytoremediation.

Designing Cropping Systems for Metal-Contaminated Sites: A Review

Considering that even contaminated soils are a potential resource for agricultural production, it is essential to develop a set of cropping systems to allow a safe and sustainable agriculture on contaminated lands while avoiding any transfer of toxic trace elements to the food chain. In this review, three main strategies, i.e., phytoexclusion, phytostabilization, and phytoextraction, are proposed to establish cropping systems for production of edible and non-edible plants, and for extraction of elements for industrial use. For safe production of food crops, the selection of low-accumulating plants/cultivars and the application of soil amendments are of vital importance. Phytostabilization using non-food energy and fiber plants can provide additional renewable energy sources and economic benefit with minimum cost of agricultural measures. Phytoextracting trace elements (e.g., As, Cd, Ni, and Zn) using hyperaccumulator species is more suitable for slightly and moderately polluted sites, and phytomining of Ni from serpentine soils has shown a great potential to extract Ni-containing bio-ores of economic interests. We conclude that appropriate combinations of soil types, plant species/cultivars, and agronomic practices can restrict trace metal transfer to the food chain and/or extract energy and metals of industrial use and allow safe agricultural activities.

Root foraging for zinc and cadmium requirement in the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator plant Sedum alfredii.

Positive root response to metals may enhance metal accumulation for greater requirement in hyperaccumulators. The effects of spatially heterogeneous Zn/Cd addition on root allocation, metal accumulation, and growth of the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii were assessed in a pot experiment. Young shoots of S. alfredii were grown with or without supplied Zn/Cd. Two concentrations were used of each metal, and each metal concentration had one homogeneous and two heterogeneous treatments. Growth increased by 1.6–3.2 times with the increasing overall dose of Zn/Cd addition, and shoot biomass was positively correlated with shoot Zn/Cd concentration (P < 0.001). In all heterogeneous treatments, the plants consistently allocated approximately 90% of root biomass to the metal-enriched patches, and shoot Zn/Cd contents were greater than or similar to those in the homogeneous treatment at each metal concentration. Plants in the control treatment showed symptoms of Zn deficiency, although their shoots had Zn concentrations 100-fold higher than the critical deficiency value for most plants. We conclude that S. alfredii has evolved root foraging mechanisms associated with its greater requirements for Zn/Cd. These results could have important implications both for phytoremediation and for investigation of positive role of Cd in higher plants.

Nickel and Zinc Isotope Fractionation in Hyperaccumulating and Nonaccumulating Plants

Until now, there has been little data on the isotope fractionation of nickel (Ni) in higher plants and how this can be affected by plant Ni and zinc (Zn) homeostasis. A hydroponic cultivation was conducted to investigate the isotope fractionation of Ni and Zn during plant uptake and translocation processes. The nonaccumulator Thlaspi arvense, the Ni hyperaccumulator Alyssum murale and the Ni and Zn hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens were grown in low (2 μM) and high (50 μM) Ni and Zn solutions. Results showed that plants were inclined to absorb light Ni isotopes, presumably due to the functioning of low-affinity transport systems across root cell membrane. The Ni isotope fractionation between plant and solution was greater in the hyperaccumulators grown in low Zn treatments (Δ(60)Ni(plant-solution) = -0.90 to -0.63‰) than that in the nonaccumulator T. arvense (Δ(60)Ni(plant-solution) = -0.21‰), thus indicating a greater permeability of the low-affinity transport system in hyperaccumulators. Light isotope enrichment of Zn was observed in most of the plants (Δ(66)Zn(plant-solution) = -0.23 to -0.10‰), but to a lesser extent than for Ni. The rapid uptake of Zn on the root surfaces caused concentration gradients, which induced ion diffusion in the rhizosphere and could result in light Zn isotope enrichment in the hyperaccumulator N. caerulescens. In high Zn treatment, Zn could compete with Ni during the uptake process, which reduced Ni concentration in plants and decreased the extent of Ni isotope fractionation (Δ(60)Ni(plant-solution) = -0.11 to -0.07‰), indicating that plants might take up Ni through a low-affinity transport system of Zn. We propose that isotope composition analysis for transition elements could become an empirical tool to study plant physiological processes.

Zinc Hyperaccumulation and Uptake by Potentilla Griffithii Hook

The ability of Potentilla griffithii Hook var. velutina Cardot to hypaeraccumulate zinc (Zn) was identified through field survey and hydroponic experiments. Our results showed that P. griffithii could be classified as a new Zn hyperaccumulator. Zn concentrations in the shoots of P. griffithii averaged 6250 mg kg−1 (3870–8530 mg kg−1) growing in Zn-rich soils. The highest Zn concentration was observed in the leaves of P. griffithii at 22,990 mg kg−1. The fact that P. griffithii was able to grow in a mining soil with a Zn concentration of 193,000 mg kg−1 without showing a major sign of phytotoxicity demonstrated its high tolerance to Zn. When growing in hydroponic systems, P. griffithii accumulated a maximum 26700 mg kg−1 zinc concentration in the shoots, indicating the ability of this species to effectively take up and translocate Zn. Translocation factors (the ratio of Zn concentration in shoot to root) of 1.1 to 1.6 were obtained. Compared to the control, dry biomass of P. griffithii in 160 mg L−1 Zn treatment increased 66.6% (P < 0.05). The time-course experiment showed that the maximum Zn concentration at 100 mg L−1 Zn treatment was found at 16 d, much later than that of the 10 mg L−1 Zn treatment, which might be an attribution of a accumulating mechanism or detoxification of a plant. The report of a new Zn hyperaccumulator provides a new plant species for the phytoremediation of contaminated soil and for the research on mechanisms of Zn hyperaccumulation in plants.

How Phytohormone Iaa and Chelator Edta Affect Lead Uptake by ZN/CD Hyperaccumulator Picris Divaricata

In this paper, the effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on lead uptake by a Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Picris divaricata were studied. P. divaricata responded to Pb by better root system and increased biomass in presence of phytohormone IAA, which was able to reduce the inhibiting effects of Pb on transpiration without reducing the uptake of Pb The application of 100 μM IAA increased plant transpiration rate by about 20% and Pb concentration in leaves by about 37.3% as compared to treatment exposed to Pb alone. The enhanced phytoextraction efficiency could be attributed to the mechanisms played by IAA through alleviating Pb toxicity, creating better root system and plant biomass, promoting a higher transpiration rate as well as regulating the level of nutrient elements. On the contrary, inefficiency of phytoextraction was found with EDTA or the combination of IAA and EDTA probably because most Pb was in the form of Pb-EDTA complex which blocked the uptake by P. divaricata. The present study demonstrated that IAA was able to enhance the phytoextraction of Pb by Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator P. divaricata, providing a feasible method for the phytoremediation of polymetallic contaminated soils.

The differentially-expressed proteome in Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata Franch. in response to Zn and Cd

The Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata is able to tolerate high level of Zn and Cd. To clarify the molecular basis of Zn and Cd tolerance, proteomic approaches were applied to identify proteins involved in Zn and Cd stress response in A. paniculata. Plants were exposed to both low and high Zn or Cd levels for 10 d. Proteins of leaves in each treatment were separated by 2-DE (two-dimensional electrophoresis). Nineteen differentially-expressed proteins upon Zn treatments and 18 proteins upon Cd treatments were observed. Seventeen out of 19 of Zn-responsive proteins and 16 out of 18 of Cd-responsive proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry). The most of identified proteins were known to function in energy metabolism, xenobiotic/antioxidant defense, cellular metabolism, protein metabolism, suggesting the responses of A. paniculata to Zn and Cd share similar pathway to certain extend. However, the different metal defense was also revealed between Zn and Cd treatment in A. paniculata. These results indicated that A. paniculata against to Zn stress mainly by enhancement of energy metabolism including auxin biosynthesis and protein metabolism to maintain plant growth and correct misfolded proteins. In the case of Cd, plants adopted antioxidative/xenobiotic defense and cellular metabolism to keep cellular redox homeostasis and metal-transportation under Cd stress.

Fractionation of Stable Zinc Isotopes in the Field-Grown Zinc Hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens and the Zinc-Tolerant Plant Silene vulgaris

Stable Zn isotope signatures offer a potential tool for tracing Zn uptake and transfer mechanisms within plant-soil systems. Zinc isotopic compositions were determined in the Zn hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens collected at a Zn-contaminated site (Viviez), a serpentine site (Vosges), and a noncontaminated site (Sainte Eulalie) in France. Meanwhile, a Zn-tolerant plant ( Silene vulgaris ) was also collected at Viviez for comparison. While δ(66)Zn was substantially differentiated among N. caerulescens from the three localities, they all exhibited an enrichment in heavy Zn isotopes of 0.40-0.72‰ from soil to root, followed by a depletion in heavy Zn from root to shoot (-0.10 to -0.50‰). The enrichment of heavy Zn in roots is ascribed to the transport systems responsible for Zn absorption into root symplast and root-to-shoot translocation, while the depletion in heavy Zn in shoots is likely to be mediated by a diffusive process and an efficient translocation driven by energy-required transporters (e.g., NcHMA4). The mass balance yielded a bulk Zn isotopic composition between plant and soil (Δ(66)Zn(plant-soil)) of -0.01‰ to 0.63‰ in N. caerulescens , indicative of high- and/or low-affinity transport systems operating in the three ecotypes. In S. vulgaris , however, there was no significant isotope fractionation between whole plant and rhizosphere soil and between root and shoot, suggesting that this species appears to have a particular Zn homeostasis. We confirm that quantifying stable Zn isotopes is useful for understanding Zn accumulation mechanisms in plants.