Document Type

Journal Article

Department/Unit

Department of Chemistry

Title

Phytotoxicity of long-term total petroleum hydrocarbon contaiminated soil - a comparative and combined approach

Language

English

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination of soil is an emerging environmental threat on the Earth due to possible toxic impact on different ecological receptors. The present study was mainly carried out to evaluate the phytotoxicity of long-term total petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils by the toxicity end points obtained from three plant species Zea mays, Lactuca sativa L., and Cucumis sativus. The tested soil exerted phytotoxicity for all the evaluated end points of plants with dose-dependent relationship. The determined IC50 indicates inhibition in root elongation as the most sensitive toxicity end point for L. sativa L., while inhibition in cross-section area of meristematic zone as the most susceptible and inhibition in seed germination as the least susceptible end points for both Z. mays and C. sativus. The tested root morphometric parameters confirm their applicability as novel toxicity end points. In addition, microcalorimetric analysis confirmed the applicability of inhibition in metabolic heat emission rate as a toxicity end point. Microcalorimetry can be applied to determine the exerted phytotoxic effect on seedlings. The present combined approach concludes that the phytotoxicity of the tested soil is species-specific and varies as follows: Z. mays < C. sativus < L. sativa L. The findings of this study may have implications in planning comprehensive phytotoxicity assessment for hydrocarbon-contaminated soils or screening plant species for phytoremediation program. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Keywords

Metabolic heat, Morphometric parameters, Phytotoxicity, Total petroleum hydrocarbon

Publication Date

2013

Source Publication Title

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution

Volume

224

Issue

5

Start Page

1553-1

End Page

1553-12

Publisher

Springer Verlag

DOI

10.1007/s11270-013-1553-x

Link to Publisher's Edition

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1553-x

ISSN (print)

00496979

ISSN (electronic)

15732932

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