Readily available phosphorous and nitrogen counteract for arsenic uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Elevated arsenic content in food crops pose a serious human health risk. Apart from rice wheat being another main food crop is possibly cultivated on contaminated sites. But for wheat uptake mechanisms are not entirely understood especially with regard to nutrient fertilization and different moisture regimes taking into account heavy rainfall events due to climate change. Here we show that especially higher P-fertilization under changing redox conditions may enhance arsenic uptake. This counteracts with higher N-fertilization reducing arsenic transfer and translocation into aboveground plant parts for both higher P-fertilization and reducing soil conditions. Arsenic speciation did not change in grain but for leaves P-fertilization together with reducing conditions increased the As(V) content compared to other arsenic species. Our results indicate important dependencies of nutrient fertilization, moisture conditions and substrate type on As accumulation of wheat as one of the most important crop plants worldwide with implications for agricultural practices

Radial distribution patterns of Cd and Zn in stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L) trees analyzed 12 years after a contamination event

Brackhage C, Hagemeyer J, Breckle S-W, Greszta J. Radial distribution patterns of Cd and Zn in stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L) trees analyzed 12 years after a contamination event. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 1996;90(3-4):417-428.Radial distribution patterns of Cd and Zn in stems of Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L.) were investigated 12 years after a soil pollution event. The trees were growing on experimental plots near Krakow, southern Poland, which had been contaminated with heavy-metal-containing dust in 1980/81. The element distributions were examined for visible signals of the pollution event. Distributions of Cd and Zn in trees on contaminated plots showed elevated concentrations but were not uniform in shape. Only 2 of the 12 examined trees on plots with elevated Cd levels had highest Cd concentrations in xylem rings produced at the time of the pollution event. None of the sampled trees from the Zn plots had highest Zn concentrations in xylem rings which corresponded to the time of the pollution event. In the majority of sampled trees, concentrations of Cd and Zn decreased markedly in rings produced after the application of Cd and Zn dusts. In trees on contaminated plots concentrations of Cd and Zn were generally higher in sapwood than in heartwood. A sharp decline of both elements across the sapwood-heartwood boundary was observed. The distribution patterns of Cd and Zn are discussed with respect to endogenous physiological processes in stem wood. The element patterns observed in the wood of individual trees did not correspond to the known timing of pollution inputs to respective forest stands

Assessing Metal-Induced Changes in the Visible and Near-Infrared Spectral Reflectance of Leaves: A Pot Study with Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The aim of this study was to monitor changes in leaf spectral reflectance due to phytoaccumulation of trace elements (Cd, Pb, and As) in sunflower mutant (M5 mutant line 38/R4-R6/15-35-190-04-M5) grown in spiked and in situ metal-contaminated potted soils. Reflectance spectra (350–2500 nm) of leaves were collected using portable ASD spectroradiometer, and respective leaves sample were analyzed for total metal contents. The spectral changes were quite noticeable and showed increased visible and decreased NIR reflectance for sunflower grown in soil spiked with 900 mg As kg−1, and in in situ metal-contaminated soils. These changes also involved a blue-shift feature of red-edge position in the first derivatives spectra, studied vegetation indices and continuum removed absorption features at 495, 680, 970, 1165, 1435, 1780, and 1925 nm wavelength. Correlograms of leaf-metal concentration and reflectance values show highest degrees of overall correlation for visible, near-infrared, and water-sensitive wavelengths. Partial least square and multiple linear regression statistical models (cross-validated), respectively, based on Savitzky–Golay filter first-order derivative spectra and combination of spectral feature such as vegetation indices and band depths yielded good prediction of leaf-metal concentrations

Appendix A. Statistics, water nitrate concentrations, and water temperature.

Statistics, water nitrate concentrations, and water temperature