Effect of Synthetic and Organic Chelators Application on Copper Phytoextraction by Calendula Officinalis L.

Vahid Reza Saffari,Mahboub Saffari

doi:10.32598/jaehr.9.2.1207

Abstract

Background: Using ornamental plants for phytoremediation of Heavy Metals (HMs) in soil environments has been grown due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of use in urban environments. The aim of this study was to assess the potential use of Calendula officinalis for soil Copper (Cu) phytoremediation in the presence of different types of chelating agents (Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic Acid (EDTA), Citric acid (CIT), and Tartaric Acids (TAR)) at different levels of Cu in a calcareous soil. Methods: To investigate the effects of stress caused by the use of chelating agents on biochemical changes of C. officinalis, the activity of some antioxidants of C. officinalis (Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Ascorbate Peroxidase (APX), Peroxidase (POD), and Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO)) was evaluated. Results: As results, C. officinalis showed an increase in shoot and root Cu concentration in the presence of all chelating agents compared to the control. The highest accumulation of Cu in the root/shoot was observed in EDTA-treated plants. However, an increased Cu level in plant parts (due to consuming of EDTA) was corresponded to lower dry weight in shoot and root; higher H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, and antioxidant activity (APX, PPO, CAT, SOD, and POD) in plants compared to the control treatment. On the contrary, the application of CIT and TAR primarily increased shoot and root dry weight and Cu concentration. Conclusion: Generally, the results of this study could be suggested that plants possess a well-organized resistance mechanism against oxidative stress caused by using of CIT and TAR.

Highlights

C u is one of the most important soil pollutants in urban and industrial areas, which causes soil pollution through geological processes and anthropogenic operations [1]
The results showed that the dry weight of C. officinalis grown at different Cu levels of soil followed a dose-dependent pattern in both root and shoot in the presence and absence of chelating agents
This study demonstrated that the H2O2 and MDA contents increased by the supply of EDTA (Table 1) in plants grown in Cu-contaminated soils

Summary

Introduction

C u is one of the most important soil pollutants in urban and industrial areas, which causes soil pollution through geological processes and anthropogenic operations [1]. Using the phytoremediation technique relies on the availability of toxic metals in the soil and plant ability to absorb and accumulate the pollutant and tolerate the deleterious effects [3]. Low availability of some Heavy Metals (HMs), especially in alkaline and calcareous soils, is one of the important problems in the phytoremediation process, but the use of some chelating agents can increase the mobility of elements and accelerate the phytoremediation process. Using ornamental plants for phytoremediation of Heavy Metals (HMs) in soil environments has been grown due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of use in urban environments. The aim of this study was to assess the potential use of Calendula officinalis for soil Copper (Cu) phytoremediation in the presence of different types of chelating agents (Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic Acid (EDTA), Citric acid (CIT), and Tartaric Acids (TAR)) at different levels of Cu in a calcareous soil

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion