Antimony uptake and toxicity in sunflower and maize growing in SbIII and SbV contaminated soil

Abstract

Using pot experiments, we investigated the uptake of antimony (Sb) by sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Iregi), and maize (Zea mays L. cv. Magister) in two different soils, a potting mix and an agricultural soil. In one treatment Sb was added to the experimental soils as KSb(OH) 6 ("Sb V -treatment") and in the other as Sb 2 O 3 ("Sb III -treatment"). Soluble soil Sb concentrations were linearly related to the applied Sb rates, ranging from 0.02 (controls) to 175 mg L −1 soil solution. Accumulation of Sb tended to be slightly higher in the Sb V treatment in sunflower, while no difference in Sb uptake between the two Sb treatments was found in maize. The half maximal effective concentration (EC 50 ) values derived from the dose-response curves were higher for the Sb V than for the Sb III treatment when they were related to soluble soil Sb concentrations, but differences became insignificant when they were related to shoot Sb concentrations. Maize was substantially more sensitive to Sb toxicity than sunflower, indicating physiological differences in Sb tolerance between the two plant species. Our results show that on soils with high Sb contamination, as often found in shooting ranges, plants may suffer from Sb toxicity.

Antimony toxicity in the lichen Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr.

“…Fitting a model of dose-response curve and taking as EC 50 the concentration of Sb at which sample viability is reduced by 50% compared with the control incubated in the absence of Sb, we obtained a value of ca. 55 mg/L Sb, which agrees well with the EC 50 values of 40-50 mg/L obtained for growth reduction in sunflower (Tschan et al, 2010), 40 mg/L obtained for lettuce shoot yield (Oorts et al, 2008), 59 and 43 mg/L reported for the green algae Scenedesmus subspicatus and Chlorococcum infusionum (Hammel et al, 1998).…”

Uptake of different forms of antimony by wheat and rye seedlings

“…One may only assume that different Sb forms may have different availability to plant uptake. Available experimental data partially confirm this assumption (He and Yang 1999;Tschan et al 2010).…”

Accumulation of Sb, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd by various plants species on two different relocated military shooting range soils

“…Additionally, the toxicity of Sb to humans and animals is considered comparable to its sister element As (Johnson et al, 2005;Tschan et al, 2010). The WHO (2003) reported that the lethal dose of Sb for humans was 20 mg kg À1 body weight day À1 .…”