The translocation and distribution mechanisms of arsenic In mott dwarf Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott) With electrokinetics and enhancing agent
Abstract:
The main objective of this study is to evaluate arsenic (As) uptake, as well as As translocation and distribution mechanisms of dwarf Napier grass that has grown in As-contaminated gold mine tailings, with a constant direct current (DC) electric field of 1 V/cm applied for 3 hours per day and enhancing agents added (phosphate and EDTA). The effects of phosphate (PO43-) levels of 0.7, 1.4, and 2.8 mmol/kg, and EDTA levels of 2.5, 5, and 10 mmol/kg, on As uptake and plant growth of dwarf Napier grass, were evaluated. For a 60-day experiment, samples of tailings and plants (underground part - root and aboveground part - stem and leaf) were collected every 15 days. At the end of the experiment, the addition of PO43- at a level of 1.4 mmol/kg and EDTA at a level of 2.5 mmol/kg resulted in the highest As concentration in the aboveground part of dwarf Napier grass, with 2.62 and 2.27 mg/kg, respectively. There were 2- and 1.7- fold higher, respectively, than the control treatment, which was conducted without the application of electric field and the addition of enhancing agent. While adding the optimal level of PO43- and EDTA mixtures at a 1:1 volume ratio did not result in an increase in As uptake, it actually showed increased phytotoxicity. The chemical speciation of As in the tailing sample at the anode region, where dwarf Napier grass was planted, was analyzed by synchrotron radiation-based bulk-XANES (SR-Bulk-XANES). In comparison to the other treatments, the addition of PO43- at 1.4 mmol/kg tended to promote As oxidation the most, resulting in a higher increase in arsenate, which had the highest energy of the absorption edge (E0) and white line at 11,866.10 and 11,873.55 eV, respectively. Synchrotron radiation-based micro-XRF imaging (SR-XRF Imaging) was used to examine the accumulation and distribution of As in dwarf Napier grass treated with PO43- at 1.4 mmol/kg. According to the results, As and Fe accumulated mainly in the root hairs and epidermis, whereas other elements were able to translocate and accumulate in the inner tissue. In addition, As was also detected in the bundle sheet, which is located surrounding the vascular bundle of the stem and midrib. This indicated that As was translocated from roots to stems and leaves via the xylem. Furthermore, it was shown that As accumulated more in the abaxial epidermis of the midrib than in the adaxial epidermis, which corresponded to K accumulation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of a constant DC electric field of 1 V/cm with the addition of phosphate at 1.4 mmol/kg caused dwarf Napier grass to translocate As from roots to leaves via xylem. Furthermore, dwarf Napier grass is likely to use K+ as a counterbalancing cation to As accumulation in the leaves, with As possibly being extruded by guttation through the hydathodes at the vein tips.