US EPA

162548 

Journal Article 

Hydroponic phytoremediation of Cd, Cr, Ni, As, and Fe: Can Helianthus annuus hyperaccumulate multiple heavy metals? 

January, MC; Cutright, TJ; Keulen, HV; Wei, R 

2008 

Yes 

Chemosphere
ISSN: 0045-6535
EISSN: 1879-1298 

70 

3 

531-537 

English 

17697697 

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.06.066 

WOS:000253115400026 

Sundance sunflowers were subjected to contaminated solutions containing 3, 4, or 5 heavy metals, with and without EDTA. The sunflowers exhibited a metal uptake preference of Cd=Cr>Ni, Cr>Cd>Ni>As and Fe>>As>Cd>Ni>Cr without EDTA and Cr>Cd>Ni, Fe>>As>Cd>Cr>Ni with EDTA. As uptake was not affected by other metals, but it decreased Cd and Ni concentration in the stems. The presence of Fe improved the translocation of the other metals regardless of whether EDTA was present. In general, EDTA served as a hindrance to metal uptake. For the experiment with all five heavy metals, EDTA decreased Cd in the roots and stems from 2.11 to 1.36 and from 2.83 to 2.32mgg super(-) super(1) biomass, respectively. For the same conditions, Ni in the stems decreased from 1.98 to 0.94mgg super(-) super(1) total metal uptake decreased from 14.95mg to 13.89mg, and total biomass decreased from 2.38g to 1.99g. These results showed an overall negative effect in addition of EDTA. However it is unknown whether the negative effect was due to toxicity posed by EDTA or the breaking of phytochelatin-metal bonds. The most important finding was the ability of Sundance sunflowers to achieve hyperaccumulator status for both As and Cd under all conditions studied. Ni hyperaccumulator status was only achieved in the presence of three metals without EDTA. 

Article Subject Terms: Edetic acid; Heavy metals; Cadmium; Biomass; Toxicity; Hydroponics; Stems; Chromium; phytoremediation; Translocation; Roots; Article Taxonomic Terms: Helianthus; Helianthus; annuus