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Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants
Open accessAbstract
This study aims to evaluate the enhancement of phytoextraction of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Zn) by species Marrubium cuneatum,Stipa arabica, and Verbascum speciosum, through EDTA amendment. Assisted phytoextraction pot experiments were performed at different EDTA dosages (0, 1, 3, and 5 mmol kg−1 soil). The DTPA-extractable metal content increased in the presence of EDTA, followed by their contents in the tissues of all three studied species. Resulting from oxidative stress, the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) increased when the chelating agent was added. EDTA in higher doses partially decreased chlorophyll concentration, and 5 mmol kg−1 of that reduced the biomass of the studied species. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) for Cd was notably high in all studied plants and considerably elevated for Zn and Pb with the addition of EDTA in M. cuneatum and S. arabica(BCF > 1), whilst an accumulation factor greater than one (AF > 1) was found for Cd in all species and for Pb in the case of S. arabica. In general, the results demonstrated that EDTA can be an effective amendment for phytoextraction of Cd, Zn, and Pb by M. cuneatum,V. speciosum and S. arabica in contaminated soils.
Overview
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TL;DR
In a six-month greenhouse pot experiment, EDTA amendment increased DTPA-extractable Pb, Cd, and Zn and their accumulation in *Marrubium cuneatum*, *Stipa arabica*, and *Verbascum speciosum*, while 5 mmol kg−1 EDTA caused phytotoxicity and biomass reduction. The authors conclude EDTA-assisted phytoextraction is effective for these metals and species, with predicted optimum EDTA doses of about 7–9 mmol kg−1 depending on species and metal.
Key findings
- EDTA increased DTPA-extractable soil metals. Available Cd increased by 25%, 19%, and 34% for *M. cuneatum*, *S. arabica*, and *V. speciosum*; available Pb was highest at 5 mmol kg−1 EDTA (+23%, +13%, and +13%); available Zn at 5 mmol kg−1 increased by 34%, 43%, and 35%, respectively, compared with untreated soil.
- Tissue metal concentrations rose with EDTA. At 5 mmol kg−1, root Pb increased by 154%, 536%, and 525% in *S. arabica*, *V. speciosum*, and *M. cuneatum*, and shoot Pb increased by 563%, 376%, and 211%; shoot Cd increased from 6.65 to 10.75, 6.47 to 13.5, and 2.88 to 11.49 mg kg−1 (increases of 61%, 109%, and 298% for *S. arabica*, *V. speciosum*, and *M. cuneatum*). Zn increases were 53%, 67%, and 12% in roots and 40%, 67%, and 99% in shoots, respectively.
- At 5 mmol kg−1 EDTA, root biomass decreased by 30%, 20%, and 22% and shoot biomass by 17%, 6%, and 11% in *S. arabica*, *V. speciosum*, and *M. cuneatum*. CAT activity increased by 49%, 23%, and 40%; GPX by 23%, 7%, and 26%; SOD increased up to 77% and 43% in *V. speciosum* and *S. arabica* but not significantly in *M. cuneatum*.
- BCF for Cd was high in all species, reaching maxima at 5 mmol kg−1 of 7.10, 12.26, and 14.77 for *S. arabica*, *V. speciosum*, and *M. cuneatum*. BCF > 1 occurred for Pb in *M. cuneatum* and *S. arabica* and for Zn in *M. cuneatum* (1.06) and *S. arabica* (1.03). AF > 1 was found for Cd in all species and for Pb in *S. arabica*. Predicted optimum EDTA doses were 9.1, 8.15, and 7.8 mmol kg−1 for Cd; 9.2, 8.1, and 7.8 mmol kg−1 for Pb; and 9.1, 8.1, and 1.8 mmol kg−1 for Zn in *V. speciosum*, *M. cuneatum*, and *S. arabica*, respectively. The highest capability was *S. arabica* for Zn, *M. cuneatum* for Pb, and *V. speciosum* for Cd.
Methods
- Pot experiment using soil from the Angouran Pb–Zn mine, Iran (loamy, pH 7.12, EC 0.31 dS m−1; total Zn 568.42, Pb 472, and Cd 6.85 mg kg−1). *M. cuneatum*, *S. arabica*, and *V. speciosum* were grown for six months in a greenhouse; 36 pots were arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications, and EDTA was applied at 0, 1, 3, and 5 mmol kg−1 soil 50 days before harvest.
- Total and DTPA-extractable soil metals and root/shoot metal concentrations were measured by ICP-OES. TF, BCF, and AF were calculated, along with chlorophyll, MDA, and CAT, GPX, APX, and SOD activities. One-way ANOVA with Tukey tests (P < 0.05) was used, and quadratic/cubic regression predicted optimal EDTA doses from shoot biomass and shoot metal concentration.
Limitations
- The authors state that further studies are needed under various ecological field conditions to validate the findings, and they note EDTA’s low biodegradability and potential toxicity to plants and soil microorganisms. They also state that greenhouse/pot data may not definitively classify plants as accumulators or excluders and that long-term field accumulation should be studied.
- Evident from the text: the study used a single contaminated mine soil and one greenhouse pot trial with three replications, with no field validation. The predicted optimal EDTA doses (about 7–9 mmol kg−1) exceed the tested range of 0–5 mmol kg−1, so those optima are extrapolations from the regression models.
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“during the increase in dose to 5 mmol kg−1, the root biomass of S. arabica, V. speciosum, and M. cuneatum decreased by 30, 20, and 22%, respectively, compared with those grown in untreated conditions”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > The effects of various EDTA doses on plant biomass
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
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In the paper
“the negative effect of EDTA on root growth was more severe than that of the shoot”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > The effects of various EDTA doses on plant biomass
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
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In the paper
“EDTA in higher doses partially decreased chlorophyll concentration”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Abstract
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
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In the paper
“considerably elevated for Zn and Pb with the addition of EDTA in M. cuneatum and S. arabica (BCF > 1)”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Abstract
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
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A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The dry weight of the shoot was not significantly different between the control and doses of 1 and 3 mmol kg−1 EDTA for the studied species.”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > The effects of various EDTA doses on plant biomass
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
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Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Abstract
“an accumulation factor greater than one (AF > 1) was found for Cd in all species and for Pb in the case of S. arabica.”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > Phytoremediation efficiency of Pb, Zn, and Cd by studied plants
“S. arabica | Pb | 0.40c ± 0.07 | 0.64a ± 0.005 | 0.58ab ± 0.03 | 0.50bc ± 0.06 | 0.37c ± 0.02 | 0.71b ± 0.06 | 0.77b ± 0.09 | 1.04a ± 0.10 | 0.15b ± 0.03 | 0.46a ± 0.04 | 0.45a ± 0.07 | 0.51a ± 0.02”
Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > Phytoremediation efficiency of Pb, Zn, and Cd by studied plants
“The BCF value of Zn by adding 5 mmol kg−1 EDTA for M. cuneatum and S. arabica reached 1.06 and 1.03 (BCF > 1), respectively”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > Phytoremediation efficiency of Pb, Zn, and Cd by studied plants
“S. arabica | Zn | 0.73b ± 0.07 | 0.99a ± 0.09 | 0.75b ± 0.06 | 0.66b ± 0.03 | 0.81c ± 0.01 | 0.75c ± 0.04 | 1.03b ± 0.06 | 1.26a ± 0.08”
Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > Phytoremediation efficiency of Pb, Zn, and Cd by studied plants
“The value of BCF for Cd was considerably high in all three studied species and reached its maximum value at 5 mmol kg−1 EDTA with 7.10, 12.26, and 14.77 for S. arabica, V. speciosum, and M. cuneatum, respectively.”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Results and discussion > Phytoremediation efficiency of Pb, Zn, and Cd by studied plants
“V. speciosum | Cd | 0.14a ± 0.03 | 0.17a ± 0.02 | 0.18a ± 0.03 | 0.16a ± 0.02 | 7.17b ± 0.81 | 11.55a ± 1.53 | 12.80a ± 0.85 | 12.26a ± 2.36”
Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
“Three replications of each treatment were conducted in a completely randomized design, and 36 pots were divided into nine experimental groups randomly.”
§ Chelate facilitated phytoextraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn from a lead–zinc mine contaminated soil by three accumulator plants > Material and methods > Growth conditions and treatments
Reported 9 · recomputed 12
Cited works that were retracted
Works this paper cites that were later retracted, from the retraction notices publishers deposit. Major when the notice came out before this paper was published.
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In the paper
“Liu, S. et al. RETRACTED: The interplay between reactive oxygen and nitrogen species contributes in the regulatory mechanism of the nitro-oxidative stress induced by cadmium in Arabidopsis. J. Hazard. Mater. 344, 1007–1024 (2018).”
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Citations
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Phytoremediation strategies for mitigating environmental toxicants
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hosseinniaee, S., Jafari, M., Tavili, A., Zare, S., & Cappai, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Tehran (IR)
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Hosseinniaee, Sadegh
- Jafari, Mohammad
- Venue
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2023-12-01
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 21185-21185
- ISSN
- 2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10692180
- OpenAlex
- W4389224971
- Semantic Scholar
- 12fc21ebcbceee470af20d33cdae3802644736b3
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 101
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 1.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (tdm)
- creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (vor)
- Locations
- Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Square (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Studies
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Analytical Chemistry › Heavy Metals in Plants
- Keywords
- phytoextraction, heavy metal remediation, EDTA chelation, lead, cadmium, zinc, mine-contaminated soil, Stipa arabica, Verbascum speciosum, antioxidant enzymes, oxidative stress, bioconcentration factor, accumulation factor, chelating agents
- MeSH terms
- Biodegradation, Environmental, Cadmium, Edetic Acid, Lead, Plants, Soil, Soil Pollutants, Zinc, Metals, Heavy
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