Citric acid assisted phytoextraction of chromium by sunflower; morpho-physiological and biochemical alterations in plants.
Soil and water contamination from heavy metals and metalloids is one of the most discussed and burning global issues due to its potential to cause the scarcity of healthy food and safe water. The scientific community is proposing a range of lab and field based physical, chemical and biological solutions to remedy metals and metalloids contaminated soils and water. The present study finds out a possibility of Chromium (Cr) extraction by sunflower from spiked soil under chelating role of citric acid (CA). The sunflower plants were grown under different concentrations of Cr (0, 5, 10 & 20mgkg-1) and CA (0, 2.5 & 5mM). Growth, biomass, gas exchange, photosynthesis, electrolyte leakage (EL), reactive oxygen species (ROS; malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as, superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacole values peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) were measured. The results depicted a clear decline in plant height, root length, leaf area, number of leaves and flowers per plant along with fresh and dry biomass of all parts of plant with increasing concentration of Cr in soil. Similar reduction was observed in chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, soluble protein, gas exchange attributes and SPAD. The increasing concentration of Cr also enhanced the Cr uptake and accumulation in plant roots, stem and leaves along with the production of ROS and EL. The activities of antioxidant enzymes increased with increasing Cr concentration from 0 to 10mg, but decreased at 20mgkg-1 soil. The CA application significantly alleviated Cr-induced inhibition of plant growth, biomass, photosynthesis, gas exchange, soluble proteins and SPAD value. Presence of CA also enhanced the activities of all antioxidant enzymes and reduced the production of ROS and EL. The chelating potential of CA increased the concentration and accumulation of Cr in plant roots, stem and leaves. It is concluded that the sunflower can be a potential candidate for the remediation of Cr under CA treatment, while the possibility may vary with genotype, Cr level and CA concentration.
Farid M
,Ali S
,Rizwan M
,Ali Q
,Abbas F
,Bukhari SAH
,Saeed R
,Wu L
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Citric acid assisted phytoremediation of copper by Brassica napus L.
Use of organic acids for promoting heavy metals phytoextraction is gaining worldwide attention. The present study investigated the influence of citric acid (CA) in enhancing copper (Cu) uptake by Brassica napus L. seedlings. 6 Weeks old B. napus seedlings were exposed to different levels of copper (Cu, 0, 50 and 100µM) alone or with CA (2.5mM) in a nutrient medium for 40 days. Exposure to elevated Cu levels (50 and 100µM) significantly reduced the growth, biomass production, chlorophyll content, gas exchange attributes and soluble proteins of B. napus seedlings. In addition, Cu toxicity increased the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA) and electrolyte leakage (EL) in leaf and root tissues of B. napus. Activities of antioxidant enzymes such as guaiacol peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalases (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in root and shoot tissues of B. napus were increased in response to lower Cu concentration (50µM) but increased under higher Cu concentration (100µM). Addition of CA into nutrient medium significantly alleviated Cu toxicity effects on B. napus seedlings by improving photosynthetic capacity and ultimately plant growth. Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes in CA-treated plants seems to play a role in capturing of stress-induced reactive oxygen species as was evident from lower level of H2O2, MDA and EL in CA-treated plants. Increasing Cu concentration in the nutrient medium significantly increased Cu concentration in in B. napus tissues. Cu uptake was further increased by CA application. These results suggested that CA might be a useful strategy for increasing phytoextraction of Cu from contaminated soils.
Zaheer IE
,Ali S
,Rizwan M
,Farid M
,Shakoor MB
,Gill RA
,Najeeb U
,Iqbal N
,Ahmad R
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Citric acid assisted phytoremediation of cadmium by Brassica napus L.
Phytoextraction is an eco-friendly and cost-effective technique for removal of toxins, especially heavy metals and metalloids from contaminated soils by the roots of high biomass producing plant species with subsequent transport to aerial parts. Lower metal bioavailability often limits the phytoextraction. Organic chelators can help to improve this biological technique by increasing metal solubility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility of improving the phytoextraction of Cd by the application of citric acid. For this purpose, plants were grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Results indicated that Cd supply significantly decreased the plant growth, biomass, pigments, photosynthetic characteristics and protein contents which were accompanied by a significant increase in Cd concentration, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and decrease in antioxidant capacity. The effects were dose dependent with obvious effects at higher Cd concentration. Application of CA significantly enhanced Cd uptake and its accumulation in plant roots, stems and leaves. Citric acid alleviated Cd toxicity by increasing plant biomass and photosynthetic and growth parameters alone and in combination with Cd and by reducing oxidative stress as observed by reduction in MDA and H₂O₂ production and decreased electrolyte leakage induced by Cd stress. Application of CA also enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activity alone and under Cd stress. Thus, the data indicate that exogenous CA application can increase Cd uptake and minimize Cd stress in plants and may be beneficial in accelerating the phytoextraction of Cd through hyper-accumulating plants such as Brassica napus L.
Ehsan S
,Ali S
,Noureen S
,Mahmood K
,Farid M
,Ishaque W
,Shakoor MB
,Rizwan M
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Citric acid improves lead (pb) phytoextraction in brassica napus L. by mitigating pb-induced morphological and biochemical damages.
Phytoextraction is an environmentally friendly and a cost-effective strategy for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. However, lower bioavailability of some of the metals in polluted environments e.g. lead (Pb) is a major constraint of phytoextraction process that could be overcome by applying organic chelators. We conducted a glasshouse experiment to evaluate the role of citric acid (CA) in enhancing Pb phytoextraction. Brassica napus L. seedlings were grown in hydroponic media and exposed to various treatments of Pb (50 and 100 μM) as alone or in combination with CA (2.5mM) for six weeks. Pb-induced damage in B. napus toxicity was evident from elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 that significantly inhibited plant growth, biomass accumulation, leaf chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters. Alternatively, CA application to Pb-stressed B. napus plants arrested lipid membrane damage by limiting MDA and H2O2 production and by improving antioxidant enzyme activities. In addition, CA significantly increased the Pb accumulation in B. napus plants. The study concludes that CA has a potential to improve Pb phytoextraction without damaging plant growth.
Shakoor MB
,Ali S
,Hameed A
,Farid M
,Hussain S
,Yasmeen T
,Najeeb U
,Bharwana SA
,Abbasi GH
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