Abstract
Mangrove wetlands serve as both a sink and source for arsenic (As), as mangrove plants are able to uptake and accumulate As. The present study used pot experiments to evaluate As accumulation and translocation in mangrove (Aegiceras corniculatum L.) seedlings grown in As contaminated soils. Results indicated that A. corniculatum seedlings grew normally under As stress with minute growth inhibition and biomass reduction at different As treatment concentrations in a range of 0–150 mg·kg−1. As concentrations in roots, stems and leaves were increased with increasing As treatment concentrations, but As accumulated mainly in roots, with accumulation rates of 74.54%–89.26% of the total As accumulation. In particular, relatively high bioconcentration factor (BCF) in root (2.12–1.79), low BCF in stem (0.44–0.14) and leaf (0.06–0.01), and thereby a low translocation factor (TF) in stem/root (0.21–0.08) and leaf/root (0.02–0.008) were observed. These results demonstrated that A. corniculatum is an As excluder with the innate capacity to tolerate As stress and root tissues may be employed as a bio-indicator of As in polluted sediments. Additionally, A. corniculatum is a potential candidate mangrove species for As phytostabilization in tropical and subtropical estuarine wetlands.
Highlights
Arsenic (As) is a toxic environmental metalloid originating from geological and/or anthropogenic sources such as mining, burning of fossil fuels, use of fertilizers and agrochemicals, etc. [1,2]
Mangrove wetlands serve as both a sink and source for heavy metals in the coastline ecosystem, which prevents contaminant entry to adjacent waters but could increase the stress to mangrove plants [8,9]
A. corniculatum seedlings survived and grew normally at soil treatments of 15–120 mg·kg−1 As without those typical symptoms. These results demonstrated that A. corniculatum is an As excluder with the innate capacity to tolerate
Summary
Arsenic (As) is a toxic environmental metalloid originating from geological and/or anthropogenic sources such as mining, burning of fossil fuels, use of fertilizers and agrochemicals, etc. [1,2]. Mangrove wetlands serve as both a sink and source for heavy metals (and metalloids like As) in the coastline ecosystem, which prevents contaminant entry to adjacent waters but could increase the stress to mangrove plants [8,9]. Field studies cannot provide more useful information on As accumulation and translocation in mangrove plants because of the frequent changes of As concentration and the lack of As concentration gradients in the natural environment. Aegiceras corniculatum L., an ecologically important tree species with a widespread distribution throughout the estuaries of southern China, was employed to evaluate As accumulation and translocation in mangrove plants. The results of this study will provide useful information to improve our understanding of As tolerance in mangrove plants, and its accumulation and translocation, and overall potential for As phytoremediation in tropical and subtropical estuarine wetlands
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