Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

Effect of Chelating Agents on Copper, Zinc, and Lead Uptake by Sunflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cattail, and Reed for Different Organic Contents of Soils

Abstract

T. Y. Yeh *,C. T. Pan

Phytoremediation is a green remediation technology for clean-up contaminated soils. The effect of chelant addition including EDTA, DTPA, EDDS, and citric acid on phtoextraction of metals within different organic contents of soil into sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris), cattail (Typha latifolia), and reed (Phragmitescommunis) was investigated in this pot experiment study. The application of 5 mmol/kg EDTA and DTPA had inhibitory effects on the growth of the plants, resulting in % reduction in biomass, respectively, compared with that in the control. However, the uptake of metal into tested plants and translocation to aerial plant parts was also demonstrated. The essential metals Cu and Zn uptake by sunflowers were significantly enhanced via citric acid addition. The other three chelants (EDTA, DTPA, and EDDS) did not improve the Cu and Zn root uptake nor above ground parts translocation compared to the control plant. The addition of 5 mmol/Kg citric acid achieved the maximum extent of phytoextraction.