Influences of soil pH on cadmium toxicity to eight plant species
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2016.01.07Resumo
Soil pollution by heavy metals affects soil quality worldwide. Cadmium (Cd) is of special concern because it might transfer from soil to plants, especially under acidic conditions, causing toxicity. This work aimed to evaluate the LC50 (lethal concentration to 50% of studied population), NOEC (no observed effects concentration) and LOEC (lowest observed effects concentration), by measuring the germination and growth of eight plant species (Beta vulgaris, Daucus carota, Lactuca sativa, Phaseolus vulgaris; Avena strigosa, Oryza sativa, Triticum aestivum and Zea mays) in soil under increasing Cd concentrations (0, 10, 40, 80, 160, and 320 mg kg-1) and two levels of acidity. Increasing the soil pH (from 4.1 to 6.4) by liming alleviated Cd toxicity and had a positive impact on seedling growth of all plant species studied. Germination was a less responsive endpoint and only the most sensitive species (L. sativa, B. and D. carota) were affected under the most acidic condition. These results were confirmed by the lower values found for LOEC and LC50 in these species regardless of the soil pH. Sensitive species are thus recommended as indicators of soil contamination in ecotoxicological studies, in which dicotyledonous species (e. g. L. sativa and B. vulgaris) are more suitable for risk assessments in Cd-contaminated soils at low concentrations, whilst monocotyledons (e. g. Z. mays) are more adequate for higher Cd concentrations (≥ 80 mg kg-1). Increasing soil pH by liming was demonstrated to be an efficient method in alleviating Cd toxicity in seedling growth.Downloads
Downloads
Publicado
Como Citar
Edição
Seção
Licença
Copyright © 2006 ECOTOX-BRAZIL
Copyright notice: It is a condition for publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal have not yet been published and will not be simultaneously submitted or published of elsewhere. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that copyright for their article is transferred to the Sociedade Brasileira de Ecotoxicologia (ECOTOX-Brazil) if and when the article is accepted for publication. The copyright covers the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute articles, including reprints, photographic reproductions or any other reproduction of a similar nature, including translations. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of the publisher.
Notice: While every effort is made by the JBSE, editors and editorial board to see that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinions or statements appear in this journal, they wish to make it clear that the contents of the articles and advertisements published herein are the sole responsibility of the contributors or advertisers concerned. Accordingly, the JBSE, the editorial board and editors and their respective employees, officers and agents accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the consequences of any inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement.
