Abstract
The aim of the study was to identify new mathematical models and strategies that can characterize the behavior of pollutants accumulating in the soil over time, considering the special characteristics of these chemicals that cannot be degraded or destroyed easily. The paper proposes a statistical model for assessing the accumulation of Zn in the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), based on three indicators that characterize the development of lettuce plants over time. The experimental data can be used to obtain interpolated variations of the mass increase functions and to determine several functions that express the time dependence of heavy metal accumulation in the plant. The resulting interpolation functions have multiple applications, being useful in generating predictions for plant growth parameters when they are grown in contaminated environments, determining whether pollutant concentrations may be hazardous for human health, and may be used to verify and validate dynamic mathematical contamination models.
Highlights
Zinc (Zn) reaches the agricultural soil through anthropogenic activities such as the application of fertilizers and pesticides, manures, sewage sludges, or various industrial activities, in many cases causing phytotoxic concentrations or contaminating agricultural products [1]
This paper presents one-dimensional interpolations, regarding both the variation over time of the mass of lettuce plants grown on soil contaminated with zinc, and the variation of heavy metal concentration in plants
The experimental design started from the scientific problem of determining the effect that different zinc concentrations may have on lettuce plants and implicitly on human health, using statistical techniques
Summary
Zinc (Zn) reaches the agricultural soil through anthropogenic activities such as the application of fertilizers and pesticides, manures, sewage sludges, or various industrial activities, in many cases causing phytotoxic concentrations or contaminating agricultural products [1]. Food consumption is the main pathway for human exposure to heavy metals [2], and zinc has one of the greatest accumulation potentials in plants [3]. Given the high-risk potential caused by the presence of heavy metals in the soil, both from the perspective of ensuring food security and human health, the accumulation of various hazardous substances in the mass of plants has been an intensely studied topic. Boskovic-Rakocevic studied the total Cd levels and the accumulation process in lettuce in order to evaluate the human health impact [5], determining that the uptake and accumulation of cadmium is mostly affected by soil pH, followed by Cd availability. A study [6] evaluated the biochemical effect and the physiological response of several contaminating agents in peppers raised in laboratory conditions, while other research [7] evaluated Zn phytotoxicity considering the complex biochemical reactions, and plant tolerance to Zn with regard to phytoremediation processes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
