Assessment of the adaptive and phytoremediation potential of Miscanthusxgiganteus grown in flotation tailings

Mining activities produce enormous amounts of metal-contaminated waste that is the source of ecosystem pollution by metals. Owing to complex adverse environmental conditions, the surface of abandoned flotation tailings is completely devoid of vegetation cover and is therefore very susceptible to fluvial erosion, wind dispersal to neighboring ecosystems and leaching of heavy metals into ground waters. The aim of this study was to estimate the adaptive potential of Miscanthusxgiganteus (Poaceae) to grow on flotation tailings without any input. In this field experiment, plants were grown for four months in flotation tailings and in unpolluted control chernozem soil. Plants accumulated and retained the major part of metals within their roots, exhibiting their very low transfer to aerial parts, which all define M. xgiganteus as a phytoexcluder plant species. Plants grown in flotation tailings showed significant reduction in the net CO2 assimilation rate and growth parameters, and there was no negative impact on pigment content, maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, lipid peroxidation level and total antioxidative capacity in leaves. The obtained results indicate that despite reduced growth, M. xgiganteus can be cultivated for phytoremediation of flotation tailings

Ecophysiological and anatomical characteristics of the subtropical shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium (Rutaceae) in conditions of a temperate continental climate (Serbia)

The evergreen shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae), originating from warm temperate and subtropical Asia, has existed successfully in the Jevremovac Botanical Garden in Belgrade for more than 80 years. The seasonal pattern of water management in leaves, electrolyte leakage, essential oil composition, and leaf anatomy were examined in order to understand the resistance and viability of this subtropical shrub in the temperate continental climate of Belgrade, Serbia.Večno-zeleni žbun vrste Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae) poreklom iz Azije već osamdeset godina uspešno napreduje u Botaničkoj bašti 'Jevremovac', Beograd, Srbija U cilju boljeg razumevanja dobre adaptiranosti ove suptropske vrste na umereno-kontinentalne klimatske uslove Beograda, praćene su sezonske promene u hidričkom stanju listova (vodni i osmotski potencijal, relativni sadržaj vode), propuštanje elektrolita kroz plazma membranu, karakteristike etarskog ulja kao i anatomska građa lista. Kompleks strukturnih (kseromorfni listovi) i fizioloških odlika (promene vodnog i osmotskog potencijala kao i količina etarskog ulja) omogućavaju ovoj vrsti da poboljša rezistentnost, opstane i oporavi se od eventualnih oštećenja koja se mogu dogoditi tokom stresnog perioda.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in common reed (Phragmites australis) growing spontaneously on highly contaminated mine tailing ponds in Serbia and potential use of this species in phytoremediation

Heavy metal contamination of aquatic ecosystems directly threatens the health, production and biodiversity of aquatic and surrounding terrestrial ecosystems, and it represents a serious global problem. Metal extraction during ore processing produces large amounts of wastes that remain in tailings at the mining site. Fine waste particles represent a long-term source of potentially toxic metals that can be released into the ground and surface water as a result of their progressive chemical weathering. Aquatic macrophythes have a major role in absorption and accumulation of heavy metals and thereby in natural water purification. The presence of naturally growing plants on mine tailing ponds indicates their tolerance of heavy metal pollution and suggests a possible role for them in phytoremediation. In the present study, we analysed the concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Cu) in Phragmites australis plants growing spontaneously in shallow water of several mine tailing ponds. The aims of the study were to define chemical properties of the mine spoils, determine the concentrations of heavy metals in different plant organs and assess the phytoremediation potential of common reed. The investigated sediments were notably rich in both total and available forms of Fe, Pb, Zn and Cu, with their upper concentrations close to phytotoxic levels. The greatest amounts of almost all of the investigated metals in plants from all three mine tailing ponds were found in the roots, with their concentrations positively correlated with the amounts of their available forms in the corresponding sediment. The far higher metal concentrations in the roots in comparison with other plant organs clearly indicate that the metals were strongly sequestrated within root cortical tissues and were not transferred across the endodermis. Taken altogether, the presence of the greatest amounts of metals in roots, high bioaccumulation factor and low translocation factor show that P. australis is an excluder plant species with a good phytostabilisation potential. As such, it might be efficiently used in rhizofiltration of wastewaters

Ecophysiological and anatomical characteristics of the subtropical shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium (Rutaceae) in conditions of a temperate continental climate (Serbia)

The evergreen shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae), originating from warm temperate and subtropical Asia, has existed successfully in the Jevremovac Botanical Garden in Belgrade for more than 80 years. The seasonal pattern of water management in leaves, electrolyte leakage, essential oil composition, and leaf anatomy were examined in order to understand the resistance and viability of this subtropical shrub in the temperate continental climate of Belgrade, Serbia.Večno-zeleni žbun vrste Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae) poreklom iz Azije već osamdeset godina uspešno napreduje u Botaničkoj bašti 'Jevremovac', Beograd, Srbija U cilju boljeg razumevanja dobre adaptiranosti ove suptropske vrste na umereno-kontinentalne klimatske uslove Beograda, praćene su sezonske promene u hidričkom stanju listova (vodni i osmotski potencijal, relativni sadržaj vode), propuštanje elektrolita kroz plazma membranu, karakteristike etarskog ulja kao i anatomska građa lista. Kompleks strukturnih (kseromorfni listovi) i fizioloških odlika (promene vodnog i osmotskog potencijala kao i količina etarskog ulja) omogućavaju ovoj vrsti da poboljša rezistentnost, opstane i oporavi se od eventualnih oštećenja koja se mogu dogoditi tokom stresnog perioda.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

Analitički i numerički aparati za primene lasera u dijagnostičke svrhe u linearnoj i nelinearnoj oblasti

Primena lasera sa procesima rasejanja i interakcije zahteva rešavanje teorijskih problema, koji se razvojem računarskih alata svode na brze provere. Zadaci u vezi metroloških problematika pokrivaju zadatake sa angularnom raspodelom, monohromatskih i polihromatskih problema matrice rasejanja, specijalne funkcije ili komponentni prilaz definisanim geometrijama i koherentnih osobina snopa, rasejavača i ugla posmattranja. Laserski snopovi velikog intenziteta izazivaju niz efekata u atmosferi ili u prolazu kroz materijal, uključujući i disturbanse u rezonatorima zbog uticaja elastičnih i neelastičnih rasejanja i promene koeficijenata refleksije elemenata (ogledala), koji su u radnom prostoru kvantnog generatora-pojačavača. Rad se bavi izabranom problematikom teorijsko-analitičko-numeričke prirode i pored pozivanja na zadatke iz prakse, analizira podrške informacione tehnologije

Analitički i numerički aparati za primene lasera u dijagnostičke svrhe u linearnoj i nelinearnoj oblasti

Primena lasera sa procesima rasejanja i interakcije zahteva rešavanje teorijskih problema, koji se razvojem računarskih alata svode na brze provere. Zadaci u vezi metroloških problematika pokrivaju zadatake sa angularnom raspodelom, monohromatskih i polihromatskih problema matrice rasejanja, specijalne funkcije ili komponentni prilaz definisanim geometrijama i koherentnih osobina snopa, rasejavača i ugla posmattranja. Laserski snopovi velikog intenziteta izazivaju niz efekata u atmosferi ili u prolazu kroz materijal, uključujući i disturbanse u rezonatorima zbog uticaja elastičnih i neelastičnih rasejanja i promene koeficijenata refleksije elemenata (ogledala), koji su u radnom prostoru kvantnog generatora-pojačavača. Rad se bavi izabranom problematikom teorijsko-analitičko-numeričke prirode i pored pozivanja na zadatke iz prakse, analizira podrške informacione tehnologije

Differences of metal concentrations and morpho-anatomical adaptations between obligate and facultative serpentinophytes from Western Serbia

Abstract — In the present study, some important macro- and micronutrients (Ca, Mg, Fe, Ni) and the trace element Cr are analyzed in the obligate serpentinophytes Fumana bonapartei and Stachys recta var. chrysophaea, Balkan endemic species, as well as in Seseli rigidum, a widespread facultative serpentinophyte. Differences of adaptive structural features between these plants relative to serpentine tolerance strategy are also presented. Our investigations were carried out on plant samples deriving from the serpentine area of Mt. Tara in Western Serbia

Ecophysiological and anatomical characteristics of the subtropical shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium (Rutaceae) in conditions of a temperate continental climate (Serbia)

The evergreen shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae), originating from warm temperate and subtropical Asia, has existed successfully in the Jevremovac Botanical Garden in Belgrade for more than 80 years. The seasonal pattern of water management in leaves, electrolyte leakage, essential oil composition, and leaf anatomy were examined in order to understand the resistance and viability of this subtropical shrub in the temperate continental climate of Belgrade, Serbia

ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUBTROPICAL SHRUB ZANTHOXYLUM ACANTHOPODIUM (RUTACEAE) IN CONDITIONS OF A TEMPERATE CONTINENTAL CLIMATE (SERBIA)

Abstract — The evergreen shrub Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. (Rutaceae), originating from warm temperate and subtropical Asia, has existed successfully in the Jevremovac Botanical Garden in Belgrade for more than 80 years. The seasonal pattern of water management in leaves, electrolyte leakage, essential oil composition, and leaf anatomy were examined in order to understand the resistance and viability of this subtropical shrub in the temperate continental climat

Biochemical characterization of soluble nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase activity in rat serum

Biochemical properties of nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP) in rat serum have been described by assessing its nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity, using p-nitrophenyl-5'-thymidine monophosphate (p-Nph-5'-TMP) as a substrate. It was demonstrated that NPP activity shares some typical characteristics described for other soluble NPP, such as divalent cation dependence, strong alkaline pH optimum (pH 10.5), inhibition by glycosaminoglycans, and K (m) for p-Nph-5'-TMP hydrolysis of 61.8 +/- A 5.2 mu M. In order to characterize the relation between phosphodiesterase and pyrophosphatase activities of NPP, we have analyzed the effects of different natural nucleotides and nucleotide analogs. ATP, ADP, and AMP competitively inhibited p-Nph-5'-TMP hydrolysis with K (i) values ranging 13-43 mu M. Nucleotide analogs, alpha,beta-metATP, BzATP, 2-MeSATP, and dialATP behaved as competitive inhibitors, whereas alpha,beta-metADP induced mixed inhibition, with K (i) ranging from 2 to 20 mu M. Chromatographic analysis revealed that alpha,beta-metATP, BzATP, and 2-MeSATP were catalytically degraded in the serum, whereas dialATP and alpha,beta-metADP resisted hydrolysis, implying that the former act as substrates and the latter as true competitive inhibitors of serum NPP activity. Since NPP activity is involved in generation, breakdown, and recycling of extracellular adenine nucleotides in the vascular compartment, the results suggest that both hydrolyzable and non-hydrolyzable nucleotide analogs could alter the amplitude and direction of ATP actions and could have potential therapeutic application.Serbian Ministry of Science and Technology [E143005