Abstract
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pollution has become a serious environmental threat, particularly in developing countries such as China. In response, there is a growing interest in phytoremediation studies to identify plant species as designated hyperaccumulators of PTEs in polluted soils. Poinsettia was selected as a candidate species for phytoremediation of six PTEs (Zn, Pb, Hg, Cr, As, Cu) in this study. A pot cultivation experiment (randomized incomplete block experimental design with 5 treatments and 4 blocks) was conducted using contaminated soils gathered from an industrial area in southcentral China. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), translocation factor (TF), and bioconcentration factor were analyzed to determine the phytoremediation potential of poinsettia potted in different ratios of polluted soils. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey’s test showed that poinsettia had significant uptake of Zn, Pb, Cu (BAF < 1 and TF < 1, p < 0.05) and Hg (BAF < 1 and TF > 1, p < 0.05). Poinsettias can therefore effectively accumulate Zn, Pb, and Cu in their lateral roots while extracting and transferring Hg into their leaves. Moreover, poinsettia exhibited tolerance towards As and Cr. Interestingly, it was also observed that PTEs can inhibit the height of potted poinsettia at a certain concentration.
Highlights
The term ‘‘potentially toxic elements’’ (PTEs), more commonly known as ‘‘heavy metals’’, is considered more appropriate than ‘‘toxic’’ or ‘‘heavy metal’’ as a grouping name for metal(loid)s related to pollution and potential toxicity (Duffus 2002; Shaheen et al 2013; Pourret and Bollinger 2018)
The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), translocation factor (TF), and bioconcentration factor were analyzed to determine the phytoremediation potential of poinsettia potted in different ratios of polluted soils
The results indicated that the higher the industrial soil ratio, the earlier it showed an inhibitory effect on plant height
Summary
The term ‘‘potentially toxic elements’’ (PTEs), more commonly known as ‘‘heavy metals’’, is considered more appropriate than ‘‘toxic’’ or ‘‘heavy metal’’ as a grouping name for metal(loid)s related to pollution and potential toxicity (Duffus 2002; Shaheen et al 2013; Pourret and Bollinger 2018). High concentrations of some TEs like Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, As, Cd, and Ni are potentially toxic to organisms and may pose long-term risks to ecosystems by circulating in the food web (Arif et al 2016; Antoniadis et al 2019). Excessive quantities of PTEs through runoff decrease the quality and productivity of soils and lead to their accumulation in crops, potentially endangering human health (Yang et al 2018; Khan et al 2019). Given the health and environmental risks of toxic metal (loid)s pollution, it is crucial to identify effective strategies for remediating PTEs- contaminated soils
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