Variations in the phytoremediation efficiency of metal-polluted water with Salvinia biloba : prospects and toxicological impacts

• Autores: Emiliani, Julia; Llatance Oyarce, Wendi G.; Bergara, Claudia Daniela; Salvatierra, Lucas Matías; Novo, Luís A. B.; Pérez, Leonardo Martín
• Año de publicación: 2020
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Water. 2020, 12(6)
• Materia: FITORREMEDIACION; CONTAMINACION DEL AGUA; METALES PESADOS; SALVINIA BILOBA
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina

Fil: Emiliani, Julia. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada. Grupo de Biotecnología de Materiales y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Llatance Oyarce, Wendi G. Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas. Facultad de Ingeniería Civil y Ambiental. Escuela Profesional de Ingeniería Ambiental; Perú
Fil: Llatance Oyarce, Wendi G. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada. Grupo de Biotecnología de Materiales y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Bergara, Claudia Daniela. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada. Grupo de Biotecnología de Materiales y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Salvatierra, Lucas Matías. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada. Grupo de Biotecnología de Materiales y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Salvatierra, Lucas Matías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CIentíficas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Novo, Luís A. B. University of Aveiro. Department of Geosciences. GeoBioTec. Laboratory of Experimental and Applied Phytotechnologies; Portugal
Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada. Grupo de Biotecnología de Materiales y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CIentíficas y Técnicas; Argentina
Abstract: The occurrence of heavy metals in industrial wastewater is unanimously considered a major concern since these pollutants cannot be chemically or biologically degraded and therefore have long residence times. Phytoremediation is one of the most widespread biotechnological applications worldwide, which consists in the use of plants to adsorb or accumulate a broad range of inorganic and organic contaminants from water, air, and soil. To improve the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of phytoremediation-based wastewater treatment systems, it is essential to use plants that are not only efficient in pollutants removal, but also abundant and easily accessible at the target site, requiring no-special culture conditions. In this study, we have evaluated the capacity of naturally-occurring aquatic macrophytes of the genus Salvinia (classified as Salvinia biloba) to phytoremediate water artificially contaminated with cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), or zinc (Zn) at equal molar concentrations (50 ± 2 and 100 ± 1 µM), during 48 h. Additionally, photosynthetic and antioxidant pigments (carotenoids, chlorophylls, anthocyanins, and flavonoids), and soluble carbohydrate content was also measured in floating leaves of Salvinia specimens to appraise heavy metals phytotoxicity. Elemental analyses to plant tissue indicate that S. biloba was able to bioconcentrate all four metals analyzed, albeit with different degrees of affinity. In addition, the mechanisms of uptake and detoxification were dissimilar for each ion, resulting in greater removal of Cu and Pb (≥96%, at both concentrations), in comparison to Cd (79 ± 4% and 56 ± 2% for 50 ± 2 and 100 ± 1 µM, respectively) and Zn (77 ± 5% and 70 ± 4% for 50 ± 2 and 100 ± 1 µM, respectively). Accordingly, the assessment of the selected physiological parameters in floating leaves suggests that different response mechanisms are triggered by each metal in S. biloba to counteract the corresponding toxicological stress.