Assessment of wild plants for phytoremediation of heavy metals in soils surrounding the thermal power station

ArticleThe present investigation was carried out to evaluate the phytoextraction potential of three main wild plant species: annual nettle (Urtica urens L.), daisy fleabane (Stenactis annua (L.) Ness.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) that grow spontaneously in heavy metal contaminated areas near the thermal power station in Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Analyses of the heavy metal content (Ni, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn) in soil and plant samples taken from the examined area were performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results obtained revealed that the examined soils are polluted by Ni and Pb and contain relatively high value of Cr and Fe. Annual nettle, daisy fleabane and yarrow have not shown high efficiency in the absorption and accumulation of heavy metals from polluted soils, and therefore these plants are not be considered as potential phytoremediators of soils on the examined area. Furthermore, the results of the study undoubtedly confirm the fact that the total content of heavy metals in soils is not a sufficient parameter for estimating the toxicity of heavy metals in soils and consequently for their transfer and accumulation in plants

Aluminium content in leaf and root of oat (Avena sativa L.) grown on pseudogley soil

Acid soils are not suitable for cultivation of agricultural crops as increased concentrations of hydrogen ions hinder the uptake of most nutrients. The adverse effects of increased soil acidity also include release of aluminium (Al) ions from the adsorption complex and hence, an increase in their concentration in the soil solution and plants. Aluminium ions block phosphorus and potassium uptake by the crop, thus leading to disturbance of plant growth and development, as well as to a substantial decline in crop yield and quality. This suggests that the use of such soils is not justified in terms of successful plant production. The objective of this study was to use liming to neutralise excess acidity of pseudogley soil under oat crop and evaluate the effect of soil pH improvement measures on the aluminium content of both the leaf and root of oat (Avena sativa L.) cv. Mediteran. Three liming treatments were employed [1.0, 3.0 and 4.0 t ha -1 calcium carbonate (CaCO 3)]. The treatments with 3.0 and 4.0 t ha -1 CaCO 3 induced no Al presence in oat plants, suggesting that liming in these treatments was successful in terms of aluminium content. © 2011 Academic Journals

The Art of Memory After Genocide: Reimagining the Images of the Places of Pain and (Be)longing

This chapter is based on the co-authors' research project on the memories of war, genocide and displacement, and the resulting multi-media exhibition 'Places of Pain: Recognising the Pain of Others' that was shown in Sarajevo, Melbourne, Brisbane, Vienna, and St. Louis in 2016-2017. By discussing a creative fusion of documentary and imaginary representations of social, spatial, and affective memory landscapes in conflict and post-conflict contexts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the chapter considers how art exhibitions can be understood and utilised as both a research method and a collaborative research outcome in memory studies projects

What Fosters Individual-Level Absorptive Capacity in MNCs? : An Extended Motivation-Ability-Opportunity Framework

Absorptive capacity has been marked as one of the most important capabilities of Multinational Corporations for effective management of knowledge. To address calls for research on micro-level origins of the concept, this paper focuses on the determinants of individual-level absorptive capacity. We examine the extent to which individuals' capability to recognize, assimilate and exploit new knowledge from the environment is shaped by different forms of work motivation (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic), overall ability, exposure to diverse country contexts and personal characteristics. Drawing on and extending the Motivation-Ability-Opportunity framework, we develop and test a set of hypotheses. Using a unique dataset collected from 648 individuals in a multinational corporation, we show that individuals' intrinsic motivation and overall ability are the key antecedents of absorptive capacity. In contrast, extrinsic motivation does not emerge as a significant predictor. We find that past international assignments to distant countries could be detrimental to individuals' absorptive capacity. However, our results suggest that for those individuals who are open to new experiences, assignments to distant countries become useful opportunity for absorptive capacity development. These findings contribute to existing literature by showing effects of alternative types of motivation and underscoring the importance of using selective assignment when considering exposure to diverse country context as a tool for employee capability development