Commercial phenoxyacetic herbicides control heavy metal uptake by wheat in a divergent way than pure active substances alone

Abstract

BackgroundImpact of two widely used commercial herbicides, i.e. Aminopielik D 450 SL and Chwastox 300 SL, on the uptake and translocation of selected heavy metals in wheat plants Triticum aestivum L. cultivated in the laboratory pot experiments was investigated. Mineral-humus, loamy sand soil representative for the central part of Poland was applied. Bioavailable, exchangeable and total forms of Cd, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Mn were determined. Transfer coefficients, translocation, and bioaccumulation factors illustrating metal migration in the plant were investigated.ResultsAdministration of commercial herbicides significantly altered heavy metals uptake by wheat in a way distinctively different than that observed for the parent chemically pure synthetic auxins, i.e. 2,4-D and MCPA. In particular, Aminopielik D 450 SL and Chwastox 300 SL prompted heavy metals accumulation in roots as indicated by their high transfer coefficients. Further transport to above ground part of the plant was limited and element dependent.ConclusionsThis work clearly shows that commercial herbicide formulations may act in a distinctively different way than pure active ingredients alone.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12302-017-0124-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Removal and Ecotoxicity of 2,4-D and MCPA in Microbial Cultures Enriched with Structurally-Similar Plant Secondary Metabolites

“…The study was conducted in bacterial cultures containing liquid Mineral Salt Medium (MSM) (1 g/L of KNO 3 , 0.5 g/L of K 2 HPO 4 and MgSO 4 7 H 2 O, 0.05 g/L of NaCl and CaCl 2 , and 0.01 g/L of FeCl 3 ). MSM was filtered through a microbiological Corning™ (New York, NY, USA) Disposable Vacuum Filter (0.22 µL) and enriched with soil microorganisms derived from the agricultural soil extract (SE) 50%:50%, v/v (see Supplementary Materials: Texts S1 and S2; Table S1).…”

“…All PHs are constructed from ring-like structures, with at least one chlorine atom attached to the ring at different positions [3]. Their mode of action is similar to that of phytohormones (auxins), in that they disturb the physiological processes of plants and their growth regulation [4]. [19] Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) Apium graveolens linoleic acid enhancement of benzo[α]pyrene removal [20] 2,4-dichlorophenol (2, soil samples taken from sites located under Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur limonene and α-pinene induction of 2,4-DCP degradation by indigenous soil microbiota [21] n.a.-not analyzed.…”

Time-lapse 3D imaging by positron emission tomography of Cu mobilized in a soil column by the herbicide MCPA

“…The known degradation and adsorption parameters allows estimation of the moderate leaching potential using the Groundwater Ubiquity Score (GUS), which for MCPA lies between 1.6 and 2.9 4 . On the other hand, as shown in one of few alerting studies, MCPA application to acidic (KCl-pH 5.0) sandy loam soil significantly increased the Cu concentration in the roots of wheat plants 2 . Increased soil Cu concentrations are caused by the application of Cu-containing fertilizers 5 to soils deficient in available micronutrients, the application of sewage sludge, and particularly the application of large amounts of Cu-containing inorganic fungicides (e.g., the Bordeaux mixture that has been used to control mildew in vineyards for 200 years).…”

“…The dosage in European Union countries is usually on the order of 1 kg/ha. There is some debate about their toxicological properties, since commercial formulations may involve adjuvants, safeners, and other utility modifiers, some of which may cause non-target toxic effects other than the pure active substance alone 2 . The latter has definitely favorable environmental properties, because it has a polar functional group and a relatively low environmental persistence allowing “smarter pest control” 3 .…”

Biological Remediation of Phenoxy Herbicide-Contaminated Environments

“…These herbicides are based on ring-like structures and have at least one chlorine atom attached to the ring at different positions [5]. Their action is similar to that of phytohormones (auxins) insofar that they can redirect the regulation of plant growth/physiological processes, resulting in nutrition deficiency and subsequent plant death [6].…”