International Journal of Phytoremediation最新文献

This study presents an eco-friendly approach for the green synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnONPs) using Triticum monococcum (T. monococcum) (einkorn wheat) seed extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized MnONPs were characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, BET, and zeta potential analyses, which confirmed their crystalline nature, spherical morphology, and mesoporous structure with a surface area of 41.50 m²/g. Photocatalytic experiments showed significant degradation of Rhodamine B dye, with an efficiency of 98.50% under UV light and the synergistic influence of H₂O₂. The antimicrobial activity of MnONPs was used through the disk diffusion method to observe the sensitivity of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and MnONPs inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA) bacteria. Antioxidant evaluations showed that MnONPs exhibited improved total oxidant and antioxidant status compared to T. monococcum extract, suggesting superior mitigation of oxidative stress. These results indicate that MnONPs synthesized via this green method are promising materials for environmental remediation and biomedical applications, particularly in oxidative stress management.

The plant species used in constructed wetlands are mainly aquatic herbaceous, most of which tend to die during winter in subtropical areas. At present, very few studies have examined the performance of woody plants in constructed wetlands. In order to increase plant diversity and improve purification ability of vertical-flow constructed wetland during winter, 10 woody plant species were tested by establishing the microcosms simulating vertical-flow constructed wetlands. Their applicability was integrally evaluated, on basis of their adaptability, rhizospheric enzyme activity, and rhizospheric microbial diversity. The results showed that (1) seven woody plant species, Adina rubella, Salix rosthornii, Callicarpa dichotoma, Nerium oleander, Hibiscus mutabilis, Ligustrum obtusifolium, and Ligustrum lucidum could survive in the simulated vertical-flow constructed wetland; (2) N. oleander and C. dichotoma had higher nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) absorption capacity; (3) according to the integral evaluation, N. oleander, C. dichotoma, and S. rosthornii have excellent applicability for vertical-flow constructed wetland; A. rubella and H. mutabilis have moderate applicability; L. obtusifolium and L. lucidum have poor applicability; Ligustrum. japonicum "Howardii", Pittosporum. tobira and Distylium. buxifolium, were not applicable to vertical-flow constructed wetland. N. oleander, C. dichotoma, and S. rosthornii are recommended for application in vertical-flow constructed wetland.

Modeling and predicting heavy metal uptake by plants using organic amendments helps reduce metal concentrations in contaminated soils. This study examined the effects of 1% and 2% (W/W) biochar and urban waste compost on the growth and cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) uptake by Bromus tomentellus in contaminated soil. The highest plant height (34.0 cm) and biomass (30.0 g) occurred with 2% biochar, compared to 16.0 cm and 9.0 g in control. For Pb, the maximum bioconcentration factor (BCF) was 2.25 with 1% compost, and the highest translocation factor (TF) was 1.4 with 2% biochar. For Cd, both max BCF (3.40) and TF (1.4) were seen at 1% biochar. Metal uptake and transfer significantly correlated with biomass and soil factors such as fertility (N, P, and K), pH, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and organic matter (OM) (Mantel test: p = 0.1, r = 0.4). The Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH) model, with high accuracy (R² = 0.998), showed compost caused an initial rise then decline in Cd uptake, while biochar had the opposite effect. Pb uptake increased with compost up to 1.052%, peaking at 763.7 ppm, then decreased. The GMDH model can optimize biochar or compost levels to enhance metal uptake by plants in polluted soils.

Soil microorganisms are essential to ecosystem functioning, yet their communities are highly susceptible to environmental disturbances such as heavy metal contamination from industrial activities. This study investigates the impact of heavy metal pollution on soil bacterial and fungal communities in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) Industrial Corridor, Himachal Pradesh, India. Soil samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties and heavy metal content, i.e., cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn), followed by the isolation and characterization of culturable bacterial and fungal communities. Microbial profiling indicated significant variations in community composition, diversity, and abundance across industrial sites. Firmicutes (Bacillota) and Proteobacteria emerged as dominant bacterial phyla, while the fungal communities were predominantly composed of Ascomycota. Although overall microbial richness and diversity declined with increasing heavy metal concentrations, several isolates exhibited key plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis, ammonia production, and nitrate reduction. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a relation between microbial community structure and multiple environmental variables, including heavy metals and key soil physicochemical properties. The findings highlight the dual role of soil microbes as indicators of environmental stress and as potential agents for microbe-assisted bioremediation.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer an eco-friendly wastewater treatment technology which can provide a low-cost alternative to "raw wastewater discharge" which although is increasingly becoming unsustainable, remains the most common practice for urban housing colonies in India. This study demonstrates that despite being a semi-engineered system CWs can provide consistent removal efficiency while treating "grey water", which constitutes the major fraction of the total wastewater generated in an urban housing colony. The lack of field-scale performance data for CWs has kept builders, practicing engineers, and policy makers thus far unconvinced about their true potential beyond scientific publications. The work presented here provides comparative assessment of phytoremediation potential of two macrophytes Canna indica and Ageratum conyzoides while treating grey water emanating from a nearby urban housing colony. How the relative positioning of these macrophytes, upstream or downstream of each other, can influence the wastewater treatment efficiency was also evaluated. Higher removal efficiencies were observed for inorganic nitrogen (43.4%) and phosphate (45.68%) for CWs vegetated with Canna indica while higher sulfate removal efficiency (63.5%) was observed for CWs vegetated with Ageratum conyzoides. For chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSSs), removal efficiencies remained consistently above 65% and 80%, respectively.

In the present study, new insights into methylene blue (MB) toxicity were obtained using in vitro model systems and a molecular docking approach. A sustainable biosorbent from A. negundo (AN) biomass was prepared and its detoxification potential was investigated. MB at concentrations of up to 10 ppm caused significant phytotoxic effects on the physiological parameters of Brassica oleracea var. acephala and anatomical parameters of A. cepa L. Germination rate of B. oleracea var. acephala seeds decreased to 76% with increasing MB concentrations. Moreover, significant decreases were observed in fresh weight (760.17 ± 0.76 mg), dry weight (43.09 ± 0.1 mg), root (7.46 ± 0.04 cm), and shoot lengths (13.92 ± 0.09 cm). Significant alterations were observed in the cytogenetic parameters and oxidant-antioxidant dynamics, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Molecular interactions contributing to the observed phytotoxicity were revealed by molecular docking analysis of MB with the target receptors associated with in vitro parameters (alpha-amylase (AMY1), beta-amylase (BMY1), serine/threonine-protein kinase (CTR1), B-DNA dodecamer, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase). AN biosorbent treatment significantly detoxified MB solutions, and improvements in the values of the tested physiological, anatomical, biochemical, and cytogenetic parameters were observed. The parameters affecting biosorption were pH_pzc, pH, contact time, biosorbent dose, initial MB dye concentration, stirring speed, and temperature. The R² values of the pseudo-second-order kinetic (R²=0.999) and Freundlich isotherm (R² = 0.992) models were the best fitted kinetic and isotherm studies for the biosorption process. Because the ΔH˚ (-36.236 kJ/mol) and ΔG˚ values (-6.63, -5.65, -4.67 and -3.7 kJ/mol) calculated in thermodynamic studies were found to be negative, the biosorption process was determined to be exothermic and spontaneous. Thus, AN biosorbent was determined to be a low-cost, sustainable, and eco-friendly material for the removal and detoxification of synthetic dyes from aqueous solutions.

The present study aimed to explore the potential of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) for phytoremediation of soil contaminated with ciprofloxacin. The antibiotic ciprofloxacin was selected due to its rapidly increasing presence in soil. It is widely used in both livestock and human healthcare, making it the most prescribed drug. To address the remediation of ciprofloxacin in soil, a controlled greenhouse study was performed. B. juncea L. germinated seeds were sown in triplicates with ciprofloxacin concentrations of 50 mg kg^-1 to 300 mg kg^-1 for three weeks. To assess ciprofloxacin uptake by B. juncea L., remediation rates, translocation factor, toxicity indicators like fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, variations in chlorophyll, carotenoid, flavonoid, proline, phenol and catalase were evaluated. The findings showed that biomass and plant growth were impacted in a dose-dependent manner. Plants with induced ciprofloxacin stress exhibited an overall increase in flavonoid, carotenoid, and chlorophyll concentrations. While phytotoxicity symptoms emerged at higher ciprofloxacin concentrations (200 mg kg^-1 and above), the plant still demonstrated a notable remediation potential of 65.71% at 100 mg kg^-1. These findings underscore the suitability of Brassica juncea L. for phytoremediation applications.

Anionic and cationic dyes are two basic types of dyestuffs classified based on their chemical structure and electrical charge. These dyes are used to give color in industrial and application areas such as textiles, paper, food, and ink. The untreated discharge of these dyestuffs into clean water sources poses a significant danger to living organisms. In this study, Gypsophila arrostii var nebulosa (GA) was used to prepare biochar (b-GA), which was then modified (mb-GA). Then, the adsorption properties on methyl blue (MeB), an anionic dye, and methylene blue (MB), a cationic dye, were investigated. Characterization of the biochar showed it to be amorphous. When the adsorption processes were analyzed, it was determined that the process was pseudo-second-order, endothermic, and fit the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity (q_max) was found to be 17.065 mg/g for b-GA-MeB, 44.444 mg/g for mb-GA-MeB, 28.011 mg/g for b-GA-MB, and 49.505 mg/g for mb-GA-MB.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils is a serious environmental issue that reduces crop yield and threatens food safety and human health. While conventional chelators enhance Cd uptake, they often impair plant health. This study investigates whether naphthalene-1-yl 2,4,6-trimethyl benzenesulfonate (NTB) acts as a dual-functional agent by enhancing Cd uptake and reducing toxicity in maize. Maize seedlings pretreated with 0.25 mM NTB and exposed to 100 µM CdCl₂ showed a 69% increase in Cd accumulation. NTB reduced oxidative stress, lowering TBARS and H₂O₂ levels by 37% and 34%, respectively. Proline accumulation rose by only 12%, and RWC increased by 9%, indicating improved stress tolerance. Antioxidant enzyme responses shifted: SOD activity declined by 71%, while CAT, APX, and GPX decreased by 24%, 19%, and 37%. NTB also elevated antioxidants, including gallic acid (61%), epicatechin (71%), vanillic acid (42%), and rosmarinic acid (64%). Total chlorophyll increased by 68%, and gas exchange parameters improved: P_n by 70%, T_r by 46%, g_s by 14%, and Ci by 72%. Fluorescence parameters also improved, with Fv/Fm and ΦPSII increasing by 19% and 14%, and NPQ decreasing by 14%. These results show that NTB enhances Cd uptake while maintaining physiological balance, offering a promising phytoremediation strategy.

Methylene blue (MB) contamination in agricultural systems, primarily from industrial wastewater, disrupts plant physiology by interfering with photosynthesis, inhibiting root nutrient uptake, and altering microbial dynamics. This leads to oxidative stress, nutrient imbalances, and stunted growth, reducing crop yields. Hydroxyapatite (HP) has been previously explored for its role in soil remediation and nutrient management, but its potential in alleviating dye-induced oxidative stress in crop plants has not been reported until now. This study is the first to demonstrate that HP can be repurposed as a dual-function biocompatible amendment to both adsorb MB and mitigate its phytotoxic effects in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Wheat seedlings were hydroponically exposed to MB (20 mg L^-1 and 40 mg L^-1), and key physiological and biochemical parameters were assessed. MB stress significantly reduced chlorophyll a (54%), chlorophyll b (52%), and carotenoids (40%), while increasing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by 35%-56% and malondialdehyde (MDA) by 109% at MB40 treatment. HP (1 mg L^-1) application improved dry weight (89%) and seedling length (68%), enhanced chlorophyll a (108%), chlorophyll b (84%), and carotenoids (65%), while reducing H₂O₂ (32%) and MDA (48%). Additionally, HP enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, including ascorbate peroxidase (155%), catalase (88%), and peroxidase (55%) under MB stress. HP alleviated growth inhibition and oxidative stress by causing enhancement of the activity of the enzymes and related metabolites of the xenobiotic detoxification system and the secondary metabolism pathway. These findings suggest that HP effectively alleviates MB-induced oxidative stress, improving photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This research supports HP as a sustainable amendment to enhance crop resilience in contaminated agricultural systems.