Effect of changes in solution concentration on accumulation and distribution of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in Carex pseudocyperus L.

• The concentration of pollutants in stormwater varies with the season and amount of precipitation, exposing plants in treatment systems, such as floating wetlands, to different levels of heavy metals. The study aims to investigate if the sedge species Carex pseudocyperus can absorb substantial amounts of heavy metals and continue to accumulate despite changing concentrations. The plants were first exposed to three levels of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. After five days, the plants from each treatment were divided into four groups and exposed to four different levels of the same metals as before for an additional five days, resulting in 12 combinations of metal loads. The results show that the accumulation capacity was affected by a plant's previous accumulation of the same heavy metals as well as its concentration in the surrounding solution. The plants could absorb high levels of heavy metals, which means they can effectively treat, for example, stormwater containing high metal levels. However, the plants released some of the accumulated metals as soon as their concentrations in water decreased. Despite the release, plants exposed to the highest concentrations still showed the highest metal levels in their tissue, indicating a potential for long-term accumulation. Translocation to aboveground tissues was limited for all metals examined, especially for Cu and Pb. The findings of this short-term study suggest that changing pollutant concentration in stormwater systems might limit heavy metal uptake and call for careful timing of plant harvest to ensure efficient removal of pollutants.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Botanik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Botany (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Phytoremediation

heavy metals

Carex pseudocyperus

accumulation

leakage

växtsystematik

Plant Systematics

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)