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Effect of pumpkin root exudates on ex situ polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) phytoextraction by pumpkin and weed species

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Abstract

Introduction

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine if Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo (pumpkin) root exudates could increase the uptake of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into plants. Contaminated soil was pre-treated with pumpkin root exudates by first growing pumpkins in the soil. Plants (pumpkins and weeds) were grown in the pre-treated (root exudate group) and non-treated (control group) contaminated soils. Seeds from five weed species collected from two contaminated sites were germinated in sufficient quantities (n ≥ 6) for three seedlings to be planted in two groups.

Discussion

Plants from both the control group and the root exudate group extracted a combined total of ∼1.2% PCBs from soil. Differences in root concentrations between groups were observed for Bidens cernua (beggar’s tick) and in total PCBs extracted into the roots for pumpkins. This is the first report of significant changes in the PCB phytoextraction ability of multiple plant species due to the presence of root exudates. In addition, slight differences were also observed for root and shoot concentrations and extractions by several other species, though these were not statistically different at α = 0.05. While the mechanism of phytoextraction is still unknown, this study indicates that the root exudates of C. pepo ssp. pepo can affect the uptake and transport of contaminants within specific plant species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the owners of the Lindsay site for access to contaminated soils; Colin Khan and Brooks Gee for analytical assistance; Dale Kristensen from Queen’s University for all his help in the greenhouse; RMC personnel for field, laboratory, and technical assistance; and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for the Collaborative Research and Development Grant to Drs. Barbara Zeeb and Allison Rutter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada, K7K 7B4

    Sarah A. Ficko & Barbara A. Zeeb

  2. School of Environmental Studies, Biosciences Complex, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada, K7L 3N6

    Allison Rutter

Authors
  1. Sarah A. Ficko
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  2. Allison Rutter
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  3. Barbara A. Zeeb
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara A. Zeeb.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

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Online Resource 1

Additional information on mean root and shoot concentrations, bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), and translocation factors (TLFs) is available in Table S1 for all species from the control and root exudate groups. (DOC 44 kb)

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Ficko, S.A., Rutter, A. & Zeeb, B.A. Effect of pumpkin root exudates on ex situ polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) phytoextraction by pumpkin and weed species. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 1536–1543 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0510-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0510-8

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