Assessing the phytotoxicity of different particle-size aged refuse using Zea mays L. bioassay

With increasing attention paid to the recycling use of aged refuse as vegetated soil, it is important to check its possible polluting risk and probe the tolerance of plant system to its stress. For this reason, several physiological responses in Zea mays L. (maize) to the leaching samples of aged refuse in different particle-size (900-300, 300-150, 150-105, 105-90, and 90-0 microm) were investigated in the present study, including growth, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes. The results indicate that the aged refuse affected the growth of maize seedlings, and elevated the levels of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in leaf tissues in a time-dependent manner, accompanying by the changes of antioxidant status. Also, above physiological responses varied as a function of particle-size distribution of the aged refuse, and statistical growth inhibition and oxidative stress occurred after the exposure of smaller particle-size samples, which contained higher level trace metals, the characteristic pollutants in the aged refuse. The results implicate that aged refuse might cause environmental stress on plant system, but the polluting risk mainly resulted from smaller particle-size samples. Therefore, the critical point of utilizing aged refuse as vegetated soil focused on analyzing its particle-size distribution, and screening out appropriate particle-size samples.