copper, iron and zink dynamics in rumex acetosella l. and

Copper, iron and zink dynamics in Rumex acetosella L. and Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Jusl.)DC...

557Proceedings of the 2nd Congress of Ecologists of Macedonia

Introduction

The widespread accumulation and contamination ofheavy metals in soils is increasingly becoming aproblem as a consequence of industrial activity,vehicular traffic, refuse dumps and sewage sludge. Inthese areas, present in industrial zones of Serbia andMontenegro as well, a change in the plant speciescomposition may take place. Thus, the naturalecosystems subjected to anthropogenic metalcontamination represent nowadays the intriguingproblem for the general environmental protection.The present investigations have been carried out inorder to monitor the accumulation dynamics of someheavy metals in different plants thriving either atbarren soil around copper mine Krivelj (NE Serbia)or at slag factory for processing of cellulose andcellulose fiber in Loznica (NW Serbia). The plantspecies screened for metal tolerance were R.acetosella and D. tenuifolia as these are plantscharacterized by early colonization and densepopulations at these particular habitats. Moreover, theyare here in advantage over non-tolerant species.The plant species R. acetosella was investigated fromthe barren soil around the copper mine Krivelj. Thismine is part of „RTB Bor“, the most important centerof heavy metallurgy in Serbia. Bor's smelter of copperexists since 1907. Analyses of barren soil of this areashowed high concentrations of Cu, Fe and Zn(Jovanovi} et al., 2003). The whole surrounding of

COPPER, IRON AND ZINK DYNAMICS IN Rumex acetosella L. ANDDiplotaxis tenuifolia (Jusl.)DC FROM DIFFERENT HABITATS

V. MITROVI]1, G. DRA@I]2 & B. STEVANOVI]1

1 Department of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Takovska 43, 11000 Belgrade2 Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy, Banatska 31b, 11080 Zemun

ABSTRACT

Mitrovi} V., Dra`i} G. & Stevanovi} B.. (2004). Copper, iron and zink dynamics in Rumex acetosella L. andDiplotaxis tenuifolia (Jusl.)DC from different habitats. Proceedings of the 2nd Congress of Ecologists of the Republicof Macedonia with International Participation, 25-29.10.2003, Ohrid. Special issues of Macedonian EcologicalSociety, Vol. 6, Skopje.The perennial herbaceous plants Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae) and Diplotaxis teniufolia (Brassicaceae) oftenthrive on different habitats changed by human activities, such as industrial dumps, barren soils, abandoned arableland, drops, etc. The expansive growth of these plants under stressful man-made conditions indicates their significantecological plasticity and resistance. In the study, seasonal dynamics of some heavy metals accumulation was monitoredin R. acetosella and D. teniufolia taken from different localities in industrial zones and at natural, unpolluted habitatsin Serbia. The results obtained showed the great deposit of Cu (more than 39.000 ppm) and Fe (more than 1.900ppm) particularly in rosette leaves of the species R. acetosella from the barren soil around the copper mine Krivelj.

Bor is characterise by great airpolution andcontamineted soil, so that concentracions of someheavy metals found in plant originated foods and milkare increased.The species D. tenuifolia was analised from slag insurraundings of Chemical Industry „Viskoza“ neartown Loznica. This industrial complex is in bussinesof processing lumber for getting cellulose during thatprocedure uses water resources. Waste supstances ofthis industrial processing contain a large quantity ofsoluble organic and inorganic substances. Especiallycalcium, sulfur compounds and some heavy metalsare largely present (Al, Cr, Cu, Zn and others).

The aim of the study

The aim of our study was to investigate seasonaldynamics of copper, zink and iron accumulation indifferent plant parts of the species R. acetosella andD. tenuifolia grown in habitats contaminated in largeror lesser degree by heavy metals.

Material and methods

Samples of R. acetosella were taken from the barrensoil of the Krivelj copper mine, in May and September,2003, while the samples of D. tenuifolia were collectedat industrial deposition site of CI „Viskoza“, in Juneand August, 2003. Separated plant parts (root, stem

V. MITROVI] et al.

558 Zbornik na trudovi od 2-ot Kongres na ekolozite na Makedonija

and leaf) are prepareted through standard procedure(washing, draying to dry weight and grinding) formineralization. In mineralised plant materialconcentration of Cu, Fe and Zn were determined byAAS (ISO 6636/2.).For sake of comperation samples of R. acetosellaanalysed from non contaminated meadow (naturalhabitats) from mountain Stol (NE Serbia, about 20km distance from Bor) and Bora~ki kr{ (C. Serbia,between Kragujevac and Gornji Milanovac).Accumulation of heavy metals is detected also in someother plants which are growing on barren soil ofKrivelj mine, as follows: Medicago sativa L.,Cheopodium botrys L. Linaria genistifolia (L.) Mill,Tussilago farfara L., Saponaria officinalis L. andArtemisia vulgaris L.

Results and discussion

The high Cu concentrations were detected in R.acetosella from barren soil of Krivelj mine, in all partsof plant and especially in root (1081 ppm) in samplescolected in May. (Fig. 1., 1-5). It is intresting that largequantity of copper is found also in plants which weregrowing on natural habitats, especially in specimensfrom Bora~ki kr{ where they settled the igneous rockgabro.In addition, in all other plants from barren soil ofKrivelj mine concentration of copper was slightlyinlarged in relation to quantity which is consideredoptimal (2-20 ppm) for most flowering plants (Fig.

1., 8-13).Unlikely, the quantity of Cu in the species D.tenuifolia, from industrial deposition site „CIViskoza“, varies in range which is more or less withinnormal limit. Slightly larger concentration is found inplants in spring in respect to that recorded in autumnperiod. (Fig. 1., 6-7).The quantity of iron in all plants investigated wasmostly in limits which are considered optimal formajority of plants (50-1000 ppm). Slightly largerconcentrations are detected in R. acetosella, especiallyin the leaves (average 1253 ppm) in phase of floweringduring May, and also in the stems of fruiting plantsamples in September (1250 ppm).Furthermore, in other plants from this habitatconcentration of iron was always larger in leaves inrelation to root and stem. (Fig. 2.). Among them, theleaves of species Cnenopodium botrys and Saponariaofficinalis as well as Tussilago farfara especiallycharacterised with larger quantity of iron.Species D. tenuifolia exhibited the similar distributionof iron between the plant parts as well as all otherplants analysed. It is worth to mention that lesserconcentration of iron is detected in spring period,while in autumn its exceptional increase in rosetteleaves is recorded (1203 ppm).Concentration of zink was mostly in limits consideredoptimal in all species investigated (20-100 ppm).Slightly larger quantities are detected in root of R.acetosella from Stol well as in leaves of the speciesChenopodium botrys and Artemisia vulgaris from

Fig. 1. Copper concentration in plant parts of a) R. acetosella: 1. flowering plants in May; 2. fruiting plantsin autumn; 3. vegetative-rosette in autumn; 4. plants from Stol; 5. plants from Bora~ki kr{ b) D.tenuifolia: 6. flowering plants in June 7. fruiting plants in autumn c) other plants from barren soil ofKrivelj mine: 8. M. sativa , 9. C. botrys, 10. L. genistifolia, 11. T. farfara, 12. S. officinalis, 13. A.vulgaris



barren soil of Krivelj copper mine (Fig. 3.).Ecological plasticity of species R. acetosella isreflected in its ability to develop the metal tolerantpopulations which are differentiated from „normal“populations both by quantity of content of some

elements and in their re-distribution between differentplant parts. This can be clearly observed comparingthe investigated elements (Cu, Fe, Zn), which aregenerally present in larger quantities in root, stem andleaves in plants from population from barren soil of

Fig. 2. Iron concentration in plant parts of a) R. acetosella: 1. flowering plants in May; 2. fruiting plants inautumn; 3. vegetative-rosette in autumn; 4. plants from Stol; 5. plants from Bora~ki kr{ b) D. tenuifolia:6. flowering plants in June 7. fruiting plants in autumn c) other plants from barren soil of Krivelj mine:8. M. sativa , 9. C. botrys, 10. L. genistifolia, 11. T. farfara, 12. S officinalis, 13. A. vulgaris

Fig. 3. Zink concentration in plant parts of a) R. acetosella: 1. flowering plants in May; 2. fruiting plants inautumn; 3. vegetative-rosette in autumn; 4. plants from Stol; 5. plants from Bora~ki kr{ b) D. tenuifolia:6. flowering plants in June 7. fruiting plants in autumn c) other plants from barren soil of Krivelj mine:8. M. sativa , 9. C. botrys, 10. L. genistifolia, 11. T. farfara, 12. S. officinalis, 13. A. vulgaris

V. MITROVI] et al.


Krivelj mine, in relation to plants from populationBora~ki kr{ rocks. Aside from that, in plants frompopulation from Bora~ki kr{ iron is always moredominantly present in all parts of plant in relation toother elements (Fig. 4.)The quantity of investigated elements, particularly ofcopper and iron, in plants from contaminated habitats(surrounding of Krivelj mine and area around factoryof cellulose), was inversely correlated in various plantorgans on a seasonal basis.In R. acetosella quantity of Cu was decreasing in allparts of plant from spring to autumn (Fig. 5.). Oppositeto that, quantity of iron was gradually increasing inall plant organs, so that in autumn period the leavesof fruiting samples were gifted through exceptionalconcentration of 1027 ppm while the stems were giftedeven more (2328 ppm). Significant decrease of copperquantity in all parts of plant in autumn could beexplained through their loss via leaching and/or rootexudation (Lepp, 1981).

Fig. 4. Concentration of Cu, Fe and Zn in plant parts of R. acetosella: K - plants from Krivelj, - plants fromBora~ki kr{

Fig. 5. Concentration of Cu, Fe and Zn in plant parts of R. acetosella: S - plants from spring; A - plants fromautumn

Similar pattern of changes of quantity of copper andiron is detected also with species D. tenuifoliathroughout the growing season. (Fig. 6 and 7.).Quantity of copper which was small already in springfell on especially low value (only about 14 ppm) inautumn. However, quantity of iron in autumn plantsamples significantly increased, so that in leaves (1203ppm) it past over optimal value of this elementcommonly characteristic for most higher plants.Increased concentrations of iron, especially in leaves,both in R. acetosella and D. tenuifolia, is in agreementwith well-known fact that during senescence in themajority of plants less mobile elements, among whichthere is iron as well, accumulate in mature plant parts(Ernst, 1990). However, quantity of zink was not significantlychanged throughout vegetation season in any plantorgan.



Conclusion

Investigations have shown that R. acetosella is verywell adapted to edaphic conditions of its habitats,developing discrete populations in accordance togeneral conditions of environoment. Therefore, itspopulations are often present on heavy metalcontaminated sites as well.Population from barren soilof Krivelj copper mine can be designated as metal-tolerant, primarily in respect to quantity ofaccumulated copper.At the other hand, special accumulation ability ofspecies D. tenuifolia is not detected considering thatit developed on substrate rich in organic waste.However, strong development of dense populationsof species D. tenuifolia on such surfaces, in contrastto its „natural“ population from stony sites, indicatesthe significant ecological plasticity of this herbaceousspecies.

Summary

Species R. acetosella and D. tenuifolia are vigorouslydeveloped forming dense populations even on veryhostile habitats such as localities rich in heavy metalsor organic waste. Dynamic of copper, iron and zinkwas observed on populations of species Rumexacetosella from barren soil of Krivelj copper mine(close neighborhood of Bor), rich in these elementsas well as in natural populations of this species frommountains Stol and Bora~ki kr{. It has beenestablished the significant ability of this herbaceousplant to develop populations resistant on heavy metal-contaminated habitats.Herbaceous perennial species D. tenuifolia which, infact, inhabits stony open habitats, formed very densepopulations also on localities around of factory ofcellulose Viskoza in Loznica. Strong development ofthis plant on sites rich in organic waste approved itssignificant ecological plasticity.

Fig. 6. Concentration of Cu, Fe and Zn in plant parts of D. tenuifolia

Fig. 7. Concentration of Cu, Fe and Zn in plant parts of D. tenuifolia

V. MITROVI] et al.


References

Ernst, W.H.O. (1990): Mine vegetation in Europe.-In Heavy metal tolerance in plants: evolutionaryaspects. CRC Press, Bork Raton, pp. 21-31

Jovanovi}, T., Jeki}, J., Ile{, D., Adamovi}, V.(2003): Mogu}nost primene mikrobiolo{koglu`enja u valorizaciji korisnih komponenatajalovi{ta (Potential application of microorganismsin alkalinization for valorization of usefull barrensoil components). - Book of abstracts, IVInternational Fair and Advising „Kamen 2003“and IMES´03: 165-170

Kastori, R. (1994): Fiziologija biljaka (PlantPhysiology), Naučna knjiga, Beograd

Larcher, W. (1995): Physiological Plant Ecology,Springer. pp. 176-188.

Lepp, N.W. (1981): Copper.- In Lepp, N. (ed.), Efectof heavy metal pollution on plants, Applied sciencepublisher London and New Jersey . 1: 111-143

copper, iron and zink dynamics in rumex acetosella l. and

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