Carlos Alberto Rocha Gomes

Cristina Almeida

English

Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto

Contribution of the plant rhizosphere system to the phytoremediation of metals in estuarine areasMarta Nunes1,2,  Ana P. Mucha 1, Carla Silva2, Carolina Carli2, Catarina Teixeira1, Carlos Gomes1,2, C. Marisa R. Almeida11CIMAR/CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Portugal 2Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal.Studies in the field (in Portuguese estuaries: Sado, Douro, Cavado, Lima) withJuncus maritimus, Scirpus maritimus, Halimiones portulacoide, Triglochin striataand Phragmites australis has indicated that:- these plants are usefull for metals phytoremediation, namely of Cd and CuIn the field (Almeida et al. 2004, 2011)Juncus maritimus and Phragmitesaustralis accumulated Cd:[Cd]belowground tissues /[Cd]sediment> 1⇓important to study and test strategies to enhance that potentialAIMto evaluate the contribution of rhizosphere microorganisms to potentiate these plants ability to phytoremediate Cd• Estuarine and coastal sediments are the final deposit of several contaminants originated by anthropogenic activity• Salt marshes have an important ecological role and their great sensitivity makes them very difficult to clean• Recovering impacted coastal environments is a nowadays priority• Remediation methodologies using plants (phytoremediation) can be a valid option due to their capability to respond to different contaminantsINTRODUCTIONEXPERIMENTAL Experiments carried out in microcosms ⇒ plants maintained in greenhouses Juncus maritimus and Phragmites australis sampled together with the sediment involving their roots and placed in vessels Similar vessels were prepared with non-vegetated sediments A nutritive saline solution was added to all vessels through an automated irrigation system programmed to mimic the sea tides After 2 weeks of acclimation, half of the vessels were spiked with a saline Cd solution (1 L of 20 mg L-1 of Cd, as CdCl2, high [Cd]) Solution was in contact with the system sediment/root plant for about 6h, being the solution drained Afterwards a solution containing Cd (2 mg L-1 of Cd, as CdCl2, low [Cd]) and an enriched consortium of autochthonous microorganisms(AM) resistant to Cd (prepared in the laboratory) was added to all vessels. In half of the vessels AM was sterilized Vessels were maintained in the greenhouses for 2 months, being dismantle afterwards Cadmium determinations were carried out in sediments and in plants’ roots, rhizomes, steams and leafsAcknowledgments:To FEDER funds through Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE and to Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) under PesT-C/MAR/LA0015/2011, PTDC/MAR/099140/2008 and REEQ/304/QUI/2005RESULTS0.02.55.07.5wihtout AMwith AMwihtout AMwith AMwihtout AMwith AMwihtout AMwith AMlow [Cd] high [Cd] low [Cd] high [Cd][Cd] (ug/g)RhizosedimentJ.maritimusP. australis0.01.02.03.0wihtout AM with AM wihtout AM with AMlow [Cd] high [Cd]Cd (ug/g)Non vegetated sedimentRhizosediment had significantly more Cd than non vegetated sedimentSo, plants contributed for the retention of the metalObtained results corroborate phytoremediation potential of these plants  for metals, namely for Cd phyto-stabilizationPlants respond to a new contamination of the medium with Cd retaining metal around their roots and accumulating the metal, particularly in their belowground structuresInoculation with AM potentiated Phragmites australis capacity to retain Cd around its rootsto translocate more metal to aboveground structures Rhizospheric microorganisms  increased Phragmites australis potential for phyto-stabilization and for phyto-extraction of CdCONCLUSIONSFor both J. maritimusand P. australis Cdconcentration increasedwith time in the belowground structures, with clear metal translocationReferences:Almeida et al, 2004, Environ. Science Technol., 38: 3112-3118 Almeida et al, 2011, Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 91, 243-249 Accumulation was significantly higher in belowground structures, not correlated with Cdamount in the mediumInoculation with AM significantly increase Cdtranslocation in P. australis (higher Cdamount in stems)Inoculation with AM significantly increase Cdretention in P. australisrhizosediment and in non vegetated sediment0102030roots rhizomes roots rhizomesCd (ug/g)Juncus maritimuswithout AM with AM01234leaves stems leaves stemsCd (ug/g)Juncus maritimuswithout AM with AM01020roots rhizomes roots rhizomesCd (ug/g)Phragmities australiswithout AM with AM0.00.51.01.5stems leaves stems leavesCd (ug/g)Phragmities australiswithout AM with AMinitial roots: 0.42 ug/ginitial rhizomes: 0.29 ug/ginitial roots: 0.22 ug/ginitial rhizomes: 0.11 ug/ginitial leaves: 0.24 ug/ginitial stems: 0.11 ug/ginitial leaves: 0.013 ug/ginitial stems: 0.016 ug/ghigh [Cd]high [Cd]high [Cd]high [Cd]low [Cd]low [Cd]low [Cd] low [Cd]

Contribution of the plant rhizosphere system to the phytoremediation of metals in estuarine areas

Open Repository of the University of Porto

Contribution of the plant rhizosphere system to the 
phytoremediation of metals in estuarine areas
Marta Nunes1,2,  Ana P. Mucha 1, Carla Silva2, Carolina Carli2, Catarina Teixeira1, Carlos Gomes1,2, 
C. Marisa R. Almeida1
1CIMAR/CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Portugal 
2Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal.
Studies in the field (in Portuguese estuaries: Sado, Douro, Cavado, Lima) with
Juncus maritimus, Scirpus maritimus, Halimiones portulacoide, Triglochin striata
and Phragmites australis has indicated that:
- these plants are usefull for metals phytoremediation, namely of Cd and Cu
In the field (Almeida et al. 2004, 2011)
Juncus maritimus and Phragmites
australis accumulated Cd:
[Cd]belowground tissues /[Cd]sediment> 1
⇓
important to study and test strategies 
to enhance that potential
AIM
to evaluate the contribution of 
rhizosphere microorganisms to 
potentiate these plants ability to 
phytoremediate Cd
• Estuarine and coastal sediments are the final deposit of several 
contaminants originated by anthropogenic activity
• Salt marshes have an important ecological role and their great sensitivity 
makes them very difficult to clean
• Recovering impacted coastal environments is a nowadays priority
• Remediation methodologies using plants (phytoremediation) can be a 
valid option due to their capability to respond to different contaminants
INTRODUCTION
EXPERIMENTAL
 Experiments carried out in microcosms ⇒ plants maintained in greenhouses
 Juncus maritimus and Phragmites australis sampled together with the sediment involving their roots and placed in vessels
 Similar vessels were prepared with non-vegetated sediments
 A nutritive saline solution was added to all vessels through an automated irrigation system programmed to mimic the sea tides
 After 2 weeks of acclimation, half of the vessels were spiked with a saline Cd solution (1 L of 20 mg L-1 of Cd, as CdCl2, high [Cd])
 Solution was in contact with the system sediment/root plant for about 6h, being the solution drained
 Afterwards a solution containing Cd (2 mg L-1 of Cd, as CdCl2, low [Cd]) and an enriched consortium of autochthonous microorganisms
(AM) resistant to Cd (prepared in the laboratory) was added to all vessels. In half of the vessels AM was sterilized
 Vessels were maintained in the greenhouses for 2 months, being dismantle afterwards
 Cadmium determinations were carried out in sediments and in plants’ roots, rhizomes, steams and leafs
Acknowledgments:
To FEDER funds through Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE 
and to Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) under PesT-
C/MAR/LA0015/2011, PTDC/MAR/099140/2008 and REEQ/304/QUI/2005
RESULTS
0.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
w
ih
to
u
t A
M
w
it
h
 A
M
w
ih
to
u
t A
M
w
it
h
 A
M
w
ih
to
u
t A
M
w
it
h
 A
M
w
ih
to
u
t A
M
w
it
h
 A
M
low [Cd] high [Cd] low [Cd] high [Cd]
[C
d
] 
(u
g
/g
)
Rhizosediment
J.maritimus
P. australis
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
wihtout AM with AM wihtout AM with AM
low [Cd] high [Cd]
C
d
 (
u
g
/g
)
Non vegetated sediment
Rhizosediment had 
significantly more Cd than 
non vegetated sediment
So, plants contributed for 
the retention of the metal
Obtained results corroborate 
phytoremediation potential of these plants  
for metals, namely for Cd phyto-
stabilization
Plants respond to a new contamination of 
the medium with Cd retaining metal around 
their roots and accumulating the metal, 
particularly in their belowground structures
Inoculation with AM potentiated 
Phragmites australis capacity 
to retain Cd around its roots
to translocate more metal to 
aboveground structures 
Rhizospheric microorganisms  increased 
Phragmites australis potential for 
phyto-stabilization and for phyto-
extraction of Cd
CONCLUSIONS
For both J. maritimus
and P. australis Cd
concentration increased
with time in the 
belowground structures, 
with clear metal 
translocation
References:
Almeida et al, 2004, Environ. Science Technol., 38: 3112-3118 
Almeida et al, 2011, Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 91, 243-249 
Accumulation was 
significantly higher in 
belowground structures, 
not correlated with Cd
amount in the medium
Inoculation with AM 
significantly increase Cd
translocation in P. 
australis (higher Cd
amount in stems)
Inoculation with AM 
significantly increase Cd
retention in P. australis
rhizosediment and in 
non vegetated sediment
0
10
20
30
roots rhizomes roots rhizomes
C
d
 (
u
g
/g
)
Juncus maritimus
without AM with AM
0
1
2
3
4
leaves stems leaves stems
C
d
 (
u
g
/g
)
Juncus maritimus
without AM with AM
0
10
20
roots rhizomes roots rhizomes
C
d
 (
u
g
/g
)
Phragmities australis
without AM with AM
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
stems leaves stems leaves
C
d
 (
u
g
/g
)
Phragmities australis
without AM with AM
initial roots: 0.42 ug/g
initial rhizomes: 0.29 ug/g
initial roots: 0.22 ug/g
initial rhizomes: 0.11 ug/g
initial leaves: 0.24 ug/g
initial stems: 0.11 ug/g
initial leaves: 0.013 ug/g
initial stems: 0.016 ug/g
high [Cd]
high [Cd]
high [Cd]
high [Cd]
low [Cd]low [Cd]
low [Cd] low [Cd]


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Contribution of the plant rhizosphere system to the phytoremediation of metals in estuarine areas

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