International Journal of Phytoremediation最新文献

The application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) often affects the cadmium (Cd) uptake by plants; however, the relative efficiencies of different ZnONP application methods on Cd and zinc (Zn) uptake by plants need to be studied. The current study compared the efficiency of three ZnONP application methods [soil, foliar, and soil + foliar (S + F)] in terms of wheat plant growth and Cd/Zn uptake. The methods of ZnONP application caused significant variations in plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress, Zn and Cd uptake. The combined S + F method of ZnONP application was more effective in enhancing growth, Zn concentration and reducing Cd content in grains as compared to other methods. The S + F method increased the grain yield by 148.9% and Zn contents in grains by 72.8% compared to the control. Combined S + F application method reduced Cd concentrations in shoots, roots and grains by 12.7%, 20%, and 37.7%, respectively, compared to soil application method. Furthermore, compared to foliar application method, this decrease was 15.3%, 16.6%, and 31% for shoots, roots, and grains, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the S + F application of ZnONPs is more effective at reducing grain Cd contents in wheat, enhancing Zn biofortification for the nano-enabled production of safer food crops.

p,p'-DDE (2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene), a degradation product of p,p'-DDT (2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane), persists in the environment due to its historical use. Cucurbita pepo spp. pepo is known for its ability to accumulate p,p'-DDE from the soil; however, the uptake mechanism remains poorly understood. Furthermore, moss species are also capable of retaining chlorinated organic compounds, which makes them valuable bioindicators for environmental research. This study assessed the effect of moss (Selaginella kraussiana) amendment on the accumulation and translocation of p,p'-DDE in the roots, shoots, and xylem sap of Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo grown in two soils with different levels of contamination. Plants were cultivated in pots that were with or without S. kraussiana, using two soils containing 2,180-2,490 ng/g and 1,710-1,870 ng/g residual p,p'-DDE. The average p,p'-DDE concentrations in xylem sap decreased by more than 60% in moss-amended plants compared to control groups. Additionally, moss amendment reduced root and shoot p,p'-DDE concentrations by approximately 70% and 55%, respectively, compared to control groups. These findings suggest that moss amendments may reduce p,p'-DDE bioaccumulation in crops by altering contaminant bioavailability in the rhizosphere, offering a promising approach to promote food safety and minimize POP transfer through the food chain.

The increasing discharge of synthetic dyes into aquatic environments has raised serious environmental concerns, prompting the need for sustainable and cost-effective treatment solutions. Herein, a sustainable biocomposite of sulfonated lignocellulosic biomass (banana peel, Musa spp.)/chitosan polymer composite (CTS/SBP) was produced to be an efficient adsorbent for the removal of crystal violet (CV) dye from water systems. The physicochemical properties of CTS/SBP were investigated by the use of several techniques, including CHNS-O, FTIR, BET, pH_pzc, XRD, EDX, and FESEM measurements. When optimizing the adsorption performance of CTS/SBP, the Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was adopted, considering several elements, including the dosage of CTS/SBP (0.03-0.09 g), the pH (4-10), and the duration (10-70 min). In terms of the experimental data of CV adsorption by CTS/SBP, the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first-order models are in good agreement with the obtained results. The negative values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG° = -4.919 to -6.964 kJ/mol) confirm the spontaneity of the CV dye adsorption. Furthermore, the positive enthalpy (ΔH° = 15.403 kJ/mol) and entropy (ΔS° = 0.0681 kJ/molK) changes indicate an endothermic process accompanied by an increase in disorder at the solid-liquid interface. The adsorption of CV dye by CTS/SBP is identified as physisorption, based on its conformity to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and a Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption energy of 1.112 kJ/mol, a value characteristic of physical adsorption processes. The adsorption capacity of CTS/SBP was measured to be 667.68 mg/g. One of the primary reasons for the significant adsorption of CV onto CTS/SBP is the presence of electrostatic interaction between the CTS/SBP's acidic groups and the CV's positive group. The obtained data illustrate a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and green method to produce effective adsorbents, opening the door for the development of adsorbents produced from renewable resources as a viable substitute for the removal of cationic dyes from polluted water.

Indoor formaldehyde primarily originates from building materials, furniture, artificial boards, and various adhesive coatings. Phytoremediation is a green and environmentally friendly method for removing formaldehyde. The existing researches on the removing formaldehyde by plants lacked exploration of Dieffenbachia maculata, which had a purification rate of formaldehyde of 43.7%. This study subjected the roots, stems and leaves of D. maculata to time-gradient treatments with formaldehyde isotopic solutions. The metabolites for assimilating formaldehyde in the roots, stems and leaves parts of D. maculata were determined. The metabolic pathways of formaldehyde in each part of D. maculata were analyzed, and the metabolic pathway diagrams were drawn. The experimental results revealed that under the treatment of time gradients of formaldehyde isotope solution, the metabolites involved in formaldehyde detoxification in different parts of D. maculata included formic acid, bicarbonate ion, formic acid, citric acid, glycine, asparagine, glutamine, glutamic acid, fructosamine, and gluconic acid. The glyoxylate acid cycle and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle worked in concert in the process of decontaminating formaldehyde, and the Calvin cycle played a role in the formaldehyde decontamination in the stems and leaves of D. maculata, while gluconeogenesis was involved in the formaldehyde decontamination in the roots of D. maculata.

Microplastics from personal care products and heavy metals (HMs) in wastewater pose significant threats to crop health in peri-urban agricultural areas. This study evaluates the interactive effects of contaminated wastewater with Cd, Hg, Pb and polyethylene microplastics (MPs) from exfoliating personal care products on Capsicum annuum. Plant growth parameters (e.g.,height, biomass, leaf number) were reduced with increasing wastewater and MPs levels, and the observed reduction rates were 71-82%. at SWW (100%) + MPs (5 g/L), accompanied by 51-72% loss in photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids) and 74-85% decrease in soluble proteins compared to the control. Oxidative stress markers such as MDA increased by 124-150% and H₂O₂ by 180-230%, at SWW 100% + MPs (5 g/L) compared to the control. Antioxidant enzyme activities amplified at moderate stress levels (SWW 50%) before declining by 18-20% at higher levels (compared to peak activity), indicating failure to acclimate. Mechanistically, HMs accretion was root-dominant and significantly increased in levels in high stress conditions, with increased HMs uptake facilitated by MPs ranging 11-23% (low MPs: 11-15%, high MPs: 18-23%) at high stress conditions. These findings underscore the need for MPs removal from wastewater to mitigate phytotoxicity and enhance crop safety in contaminated agroecosystems.

Rapid urbanization has escalated air pollution, highlighting the need to identify resilient plant species for sustainable urban greening. This study evaluated the tolerance strategies of three ornamental plants Rosa indica, Jasminum sambac, and Polianthes tuberosa at their flowering stage under ambient air pollution. Physiological and biochemical traits were measured and integrated into the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API). Particulate matter was the dominant pollutant at the study site compared to NO₂ and SO₂. Although APTI values did not differ significantly among species, their adaptive responses were distinct. Rosa indica maintained photosynthesis under stress, Jasminum sambac sustained gas exchange and water use efficiency, while Polianthes tuberosa relied on conserving relative water content and antioxidant defense but showed impaired stomatal conductance. API scoring classified Rosa indica and Jasminum sambac as good performers whereas Polianthes tuberosa was vulnerable. Random forest analysis was used for assessment of adaptive response and further identified species-specific predictors of tolerance, emphasizing photosynthesis in Rosa indica, stomatal traits in Jasminum sambac and antioxidant defense in Polianthes tuberosa. These findings propose Rosa indica and Jasminum sambac as promising candidates for parks, rooftops and vertical greenery, underscoring the role of floral ornamentals in air pollution mitigation.

Intensive industrial activities have led to increased chromium concentrations in soil and water, posing significant environmental and health risks due to its cytotoxic and carcinogenic nature. Present study is aimed to elucidate the sequel of chromium toxicity on structural and functional properties of Coleus amboinicus Lour. The experimental set up consisted of cultivation of rooted propagules of C. amboinicus in nutrient solution artificially contaminated with 150 µM potassium dichromate in which the plants exhibit visible growth retardation and maintaining their survival. Structural alterations of plants treated with Cr studied in terms of anatomy as well as tissue ultra structure using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Presence of Cr was observed in the form of stained masses in the sections of root, stem and leaf, indicating the translocation of Cr to the plant body. Qualitative and quantitative detection of elemental composition of both control and experimental were made by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Cr influence the macro and micro-elemental distribution in plant tissues. Plants exhibited structural modifications like increase in the trichomes of leaves and stem of Cr treated C. amboinicus. Presence of cell structural distortions and Cr deposit inclusions in the inner parenchyma cells were distinct. Cr stress induced the reduction in pigment content and metabolites like proteins, proline, phenol and malondialdehyde marked a significant increase. The low BCF and TF values, combined with its coping mechanisms for metal stress, indicate that C. amboinicus lacks the potential for chromium hyperaccumulation.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of titanium dioxide/activated carbon (TiO₂/AC) nanocomposites in enhancing the phytoremediation performance of vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) grown in soil contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). Incorporation of TiO₂/AC increased the pseudo-total accumulation of PTEs in roots and shoots, with combined uptake reaching 529.98 mg kg^-1 compared with 401.31 mg kg^-1 in untreated plants. Shoot concentrations reached 277.85 mg kg^-1 (Pb), 181.75 mg kg^-1 (Cd), and 70.38 mg kg^-1 (As). The adsorption behavior of TiO₂/AC followed Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, with the Langmuir model showing superior fitting (R² > 0.99), indicating monolayer adsorption onto homogeneous surfaces. Soil concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As decreased by 92%, 59%, and 70%, respectively, over four months of treatment. Biochemical analyses indicated that TiO₂/AC enhanced antioxidant defense responses, increasing SOD, CAT, and POD activities while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), indicating effective mitigation of oxidative stress. Metabolomic and proteomic analyses demonstrated enrichment of stress-related metabolites and differential expression of over 2,400 proteins associated with detoxification pathways. These results show that TiO₂/AC nanocomposites improve PTE bioavailability and uptake while strengthening plant physiological responses, supporting their potential application in controlled phytoremediation systems.

This study evaluated the potential of fulvic acid and greywater irrigation to promote quinoa growth. The study was conducted in a greenhouse in a semiarid region, where quinoa plants were irrigated with greywater and low-salinity water for comparison purposes. They were subjected to the following organic sources of soil conditioners: control (no soil conditioner application), different doses of fulvic acid, and organic matter. Thus, the experiment consisted of a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement. As the main results achieved, it can be highlighted that the application of organic matter or fulvic acid, at doses of 13.4 and 20.1 g L^-1, together with irrigation with greywater, provided a better production of quinoa biomass (shot fresh matter of 154, 161, and 141 g, respectively) compared to the control treatment and application of low-salinity water. In addition, the use of soil conditioners, as a result of greywater use, reduced the soil exchangeable sodium percentage (38%) compared to the control treatment (60%). Furthermore, they improved the salt extraction capacity of quinoa, mainly chlorine (44 g m^-2), suggesting that quinoa cultivation under greywater + fulvic acid management may be a good alternative for semiarid regions.

Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid, and its increasing contamination in soil has become an important public health concern. Nevertheless, cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs) have shown potential for phytostabilization of metal polluted soil. Currently during pot trial, As toxicity (As30, As70 mg kg^-1) decreased growth, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, membrane stability indices (MSIs) and relative water contents (RWCs) of Catharanthus roseus. Moreover, As stress obviously increased, malondialdehyde (MDA), As, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels in C. roseus plants. Conversely, the application of CeO₂ NPs (80 mg L^-1) significantly improved the antioxidant system of C. roseus and augmented growth attributes, synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, proline content, and gas exchange attributes, in addition to modulating the expression of stress-related genes (STR, DAT, PRX1 and GS) under As-stressed conditions. Foliar application of CeO₂ NPs reduced the uptake and translocation of As from the soil to plant tissues. Furthermore, exogenous CeO₂ NPs supply significantly reduced the MDA (21.2%), H₂O₂ (10.2%), and declined As uptake in the shoot (25.3%) and root (17.7%) tissues of the C. roseus plants exposed to higher As70 stress. Hence, CeO₂ NPs showed great potential for improvement of growth and alleviation of As toxicity in C. roseus plants.