Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Arsenic tolerance, uptake, and accumulation by nonmetallicolous and metallicolous populations of Pteris vittata L

  • Bioavailability - the underlying basis for Risk Based Land Management
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although it is known that the first As hyperaccumulator identified, Pteris vittata L., could exist in As-contaminated as well as uncontaminated soils, intra-specific variation in As accumulation among metallicolous (from As-contaminated soils) and nonmetallicolous populations (from uncontaminated soils) of P. vittata has not been fully explored. Variations in As concentrations of fronds were observed in three nonmetallicolous populations and four metallicolous populations of P. vittata collected from southeast China. The kinetics study showed that the concentration-dependent influx of arsenate and arsenite observed followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics, and that the average V max for arsenate and arsenite was apparently larger in the three nonmetallicolous populations than that in the three metallicolous populations. The pot trials indicated that the nonmetallicolous populations had significantly (p < 0.05) higher frond biomass, about 1.5–1.9-folds, when compared with the metallicolous populations in 250 and 500 mg As kg−1 soil treatments. The pot trials also demonstrated that the nonmetallicolous population of P. vittata had a significantly higher accumulation and translocation capacity for As. The present study suggests that As removal by P. vittata can be greatly enhanced by the judicious selection of the appropriate populations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Assuncao AGL, Bookum WM, Nelissen HJM, Vooijs R, Schat H, Ernst WHO (2003) Differential metal-specific tolerance and accumulation patterns among Thlaspi caerulescens populations originating from different soil types. New Phytol 159:411–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bert V, Bonnin I, Saumitou-Laprade P, de Laguerie P, Petit D (2002) Do Arabidopsis halleri from nonmetallicolous populations accumulate zinc and cadmium more effectively than those from metallicolous populations? New Phytol 155:47–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen TB, Wei CY, Huang ZC, Huang QF, Lu QG, Fan ZL (2002) Arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. and its arsenic accumulation. Chinese Sci Bull 47:902–905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson N, Baker A, Doronila A, Laidlaw S, Reeves R (2009) Phytoremediation of inorganics: realism and synergies. Int J Phytoremediat 11:97–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoagland DR, Arnon DI (1938) The water culture method for growing plants without soil. Calif Agric Exp Stn Circ 347:1–39

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kertulis GM, Ma LQ, MacDonald GE, Chen RJ, Winefordner D, Cai Y (2005) Arsenic speciation and transport in Pteris vittata L. and the effects on phosphorus in the xylem sap. Environ Exp Bot 54:239–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lou LQ, Ye ZH, Wong MH (2009) A comparison of arsenic tolerance, uptake and accumulation between arsenic hyperaccumulator, Pteris vittata L. and non-accumulator, P. semipinnata L.—a hydroponic study. J Hazard Mater 171:436–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma LQ, Komar KM, Tu C, Zhang W, Cai Y, Kennelly ED (2001) A fern that hyperaccumulates arsenic. Nature 409:579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathews S, Rathinasabapathi B, Ma LQ (2011) Uptake and translocation of arsenite by Pteris vittata L.: effects of glycerol, antimonite and silver. Environ Pollut 159:3490–3495

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meharg AA (2004) Arsenic in rice-understanding a new disaster for South-East Asia. Trends Plant Sci 9:415–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meharg AA, Macnair MR (1992) Suppression of the high-affinity phosphate-uptake system—a mechanism of arsenate tolerance in Holcus lanatus L. J Exp Bot 43:519–524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meharg AA, Rahman M (2003) Arsenic contamination of Bangladesh paddy field soils: Implications for rice contribution to arsenic consumption. Environ Sci Technol 37:229–234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohtadi A, Ghaderian SM, Schat H (2012) A comparison of lead accumulation and tolerance among heavy metal hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating metallophytes. Plant Soil 352:267–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poynton CY, Huang JWW, Blaylock MJ, Kochian LV, Elless MP (2004) Mechanisms of arsenic hyperaccumulation in Pteris species: root As influx and translocation. Planta 219:1080–1088

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roosens N, Verbruggen N, Meerts P, Ximenez-Embun P, Smith JAC (2003) Natural variation in cadmium tolerance and its relationship to metal hyperaccumulation for seven populations of Thlaspi caerulescens from Western Europe. Plant Cell Environ 26:1657–1672

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SEPAC (1995) Environment quality standard for soil (GB 15618–1995). State Environmental Protection Administration of China, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Nevel L, Mertens J, Oorts K, Verheyen K (2007) Phytoextraction of metals from soils: how far from practice? Environ Pollut 150:34–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visoottiviseth P, Francesconi K, Sridokchan W (2002) The potential of Thai indigenous plant species for the phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated land. Environ Pollut 118:453–461

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HB, Ye ZH, Shu WS, Li WC, Wong MH, Lan CY (2006) Arsenic uptake and accumulation in fern species growing at arsenic-contaminated sites of southern China: field survey. Int J Phytoremediation 8:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HB, Wong MH, Lan CY, Baker AJM, Qin YR, Shu WS, Chen GZ, Ye ZH (2007) Uptake and accumulation of arsenic by 11 Pteris taxa from southern China. Environ Pollut 145:225–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Ma LQ, Rathinasabapathi B, Cai Y, Liu YG, Zeng GM (2011) Mechanisms of efficient arsenite uptake by arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. Environ Sci Technol 45:9719–9725

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2001) http://www.who.imt/inf-fs/en/fact210.htl. Accessed 30 May 2001.

  • Wu FY, Ye ZH, Wu SC, Wong MH (2007) Metal accumulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal status in metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Pteris vittata L. and Sedum alfredii Hance. Planta 226:1363–1378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu FY, Ye ZH, Wu SC, Leung HM, Wong MH (2009) Variation in arsenic, lead and zinc tolerance and accumulation in six populations of Pteris vittata L. from China. Environ Pollut 157:2394–2404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu XY, McGrath SP, Meharg AA, Zhao FJ (2008) Growing rice aerobically markedly decreases arsenic accumulation. Environ Sci Technol 42:5574–5579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao FJ, Dunham SJ, McGrath SP (2002) Arsenic hyperaccumulation by different fern species. New Phytol 156:27–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Ms. Sue Fung (Hong Kong Baptist University) for improving the manuscript. This study was supported by Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme “Centre for Marine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology” (AoE/P-04/04) of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, and the Key project of the Education Commission of Henan Province (13A610043), China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, 467036, People’s Republic of China

    Fuyong Wu

  2. Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University - Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Hung Wong

  3. Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

    Fuyong Wu, Dan Deng, Shengchun Wu & Ming Hung Wong

  4. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Beijing Road 71, Nanjing, 210008, People’s Republic of China

    Xiangui Lin

  5. Joint Open Laboratory of Soil and the Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University & Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Fuyong Wu, Xiangui Lin & Ming Hung Wong

Authors
  1. Fuyong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dan Deng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shengchun Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiangui Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ming Hung Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ming Hung Wong.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wu, F., Deng, D., Wu, S. et al. Arsenic tolerance, uptake, and accumulation by nonmetallicolous and metallicolous populations of Pteris vittata L. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 8911–8918 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1593-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1593-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation