Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Plantago Major Grown in Urban and Post-Industrial Areas

Levei, Levente; Kovács, Enikő; Hoaghia, Maria-Alexandra; Ozunu, Alexandru

doi:10.24193/subbchem.2018.1.07

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A previous study showed that soil samples in an urban area of Cluj-Napoca had on average Cu 41 mg/kg, Pb 53 mg/kg, Zn 125 mg/kg, Cr 46 mg/kg, and Ni 47.5 mg/kg [19], compared to these, the values in this study were lower. A study conducted in the country's capital (Bucharest) showed that three major urban parks had elevated Zn, Pb, and Cu levels, and although heavy metal concentration was heterogenous, the overall proximity to intense trafficways was proposed as a source of pollution [74].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 77%

“…HM pollution of urban soil in Europe showed that elevated levels of the most common five heavy metals were 22% of anthropogenic enrichment (such as traffic and industry) while 44% were of geogenic enrichment [ 10 ]. In Cluj-Napoca, the main source of metal pollution is related to traffic, urban run-off, residential heating, and municipal landfill [ 19 ]. The proximity to pollution sources can be a cause of increased soil pollution in the urban environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In urban soil, the accumulation of lead, zinc, cadmium, and copper is due to traffic and the construction materials used [ 18 ]. Additional sources of pollution are connected with households heating systems, and waste management [ 19 , 20 ], as well as the proximity to industrial and agricultural activity centers [ 20 ]. In post-industrial cities, passive pollution related to the historical past can also be present [ 21 ] and is most often represented by the persistence of heavy metals in soils [ 22 ], and their remanence levels are related to the scale and intensity of the former activities [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Relevance of Soil Heavy Metal XRF Screening for Quality and Landscaping of Public Playgrounds

Răcușan Ghircoiaș,

Tănăselia,

Chintoanu

et al. 2023

Toxics

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Heavy metals have become widespread urban pollutants, exposing vulnerable age groups such as children to potential risk. Specialists need feasible approaches that can routinely assist them in customizing options for sustainable and safer urban playgrounds. The aim of this research was to explore the practical relevance of the X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) method from the perspective of landscaping specialists, and the practical significance of screening for those heavy metals that currently present elevated levels across urban environments Europe-wide. Soil samples from six public children’s playgrounds of different typologies from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, were analyzed. The results indicated that this method was sensitive to identifying thresholds stipulated in legislation for the screened elements (V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb). Coupled with the calculation of pollution indexes, this method can serve as a quick orientation in landscaping options for urban playgrounds. The pollution load index (PLI) for the screened metals showed that three sites displayed baseline pollution with incipient deterioration in soil quality (PLI = 1.01–1.51). The highest contribution to the PLI among the screened elements, depending on the site, was due to Zn, Pb, As, and Mn. The average levels of the detected heavy metals were within admissible limits according to national legislation. Implementable protocols addressed to different categories of specialists could help to transition towards safer playgrounds and more research on accurate cost-effective procedures to overcome the limitations of existing approaches is currently needed.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Relevance of Soil Heavy Metal XRF Screening for Quality and Landscaping of Public Playgrounds

Răcușan Ghircoiaș,

Tănăselia,

Chintoanu

et al. 2023

Toxics

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“…By contrast, the study conducted by Kurteva (2009) recorded a higher Zn accumulation in the leaves of Plantago lanceolata. Our investigation of the accumulation of potentially toxic metals found much higher metal concentrations in the soil and leaves of Plantago major compared with the study in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, of Levei et al (2018).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 44%

Using Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata in environmental pollution research in an urban area of Southern Poland

Skrynetska

Karcz

Barczyk

et al. 2019

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The aim of this study was to perform a complex assessment of changes in the elements of an ecosystem that are caused by environmental pollution in industrial and urban biotopes. The study focused on three sites: a park, a road and the site of the metallurgical plant “Pokój” in the city of Ruda Śląska (Southern Poland), which are each under a different level of anthropogenic load. Soil and plant material samples ( Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata leaves) were investigated by performing biochemical, ecophysiological and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. A significant difference was observed in all of the study samples. The content of Pb, Zn and Cd in the soil samples that had been collected at the site of the metallurgical plant exceeded the permitted limits (Cd > 4 mg kg −1 , Pb > 100 mg kg −1 , Zn > 300 mg kg −1 ). The content of Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd and Zn in the plant material was much higher in unwashed samples than in washed samples. The concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were below the permitted level in the leaves of Plantago lanceolata for Cd (> 5 mg kg −1 ) and in the leaves of Plantago major for Zn (> 100 mg kg −1 ). The SEM observations revealed a significant decrease in the stomata pore length (SPL) in the Plantago lanceolata leaves that had been collected at the road site compared with the plants from the park site. The elemental content on the leaf surface was also determined using X-ray microanalysis. The total chlorophyll (Chl) content, ascorbic acid (AA), proline, guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity, pH, relative water content (RWC) and air pollution tolerance index (APTI) were evaluated. The APTI for the investigated species ranged from 5.6 to 7.4, which demonstrated that the studied plant species are sensitive to air pollutants. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11356-019-05535-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…As for P. weldenii, there is rather limited evidence available for its tolerance towards PTEs. However, in different species within the family Plantaginaceae, there are related studies showing their resistance to contaminants [59,60]. It is noteworthy that Cd concentrations per fresh weight in S. oleraceus well exceeded the regulation limit of 0.2 mg kg −1 of category 3.2.15 ("leaf vegetables") of the Directive 86/278/EC, while those in P. weldenii did not, even when grown in such soil spiked with Cd at 45 mg kg −1 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioavailability of Cd in Plantago weldenii and Sonchus oleraceus Plants: The Effects of a Humic and Fulvic Acids-Based Biostimulant

Grammenou,

Petropoulos,

Antoniadis

2024

Horticulturae

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Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a major threat to plants and human health, as well as to ecosystem services. Biostimulants provide a promising eco-friendly solution to enhance the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils. We examined the influence of a humic and fulvic acids-based biostimulant on two plant species, e.g., Plantago weldenii and Sonchus oleraceus (common sowthistle), in a soil spiked with Cd at 45 mg kg−1. The aim of this study was to determine whether a biostimulant can potentially affect Cd mobility in soil and absorption in plant tissues. We found that the biostimulant significantly decreased Cd bioavailability (recorded as DTPA extractability) in the soil where Plantago was grown from 17.57 to 13.12 mg kg−1, probably due to the Cd immobilization effect of the added biostimulant. However, the biostimulant had the opposite effect in the soil where S. oleraceus was grown (Cd-DTPA significantly increased from 10.13 to 13.03 mg kg−1). S. oleraceus was found to have accumulated higher Cd concentrations in its aerial parts, resulting in a soil-to-plant transfer value close to 1 and root-to-shoot translocation value well above 1. These two indices exhibited the potential of S. oleraceus to be used as hyperaccumulator in Cd-contaminated soils, while P. weldenii behaved rather as a Cd excluder. These findings highlight the complex dynamics of added biostimulants and Cd behavior in soil and plants. We recognize the need for further research so that the mechanisms dictating Cd behavior after biostimulant application can be better elucidated.

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Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Plantago Major Grown in Urban and Post-Industrial Areas

Cited by 10 publications

References 20 publications

Relevance of Soil Heavy Metal XRF Screening for Quality and Landscaping of Public Playgrounds

Relevance of Soil Heavy Metal XRF Screening for Quality and Landscaping of Public Playgrounds

Using Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata in environmental pollution research in an urban area of Southern Poland

Bioavailability of Cd in Plantago weldenii and Sonchus oleraceus Plants: The Effects of a Humic and Fulvic Acids-Based Biostimulant

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