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Stable cesium (133Cs) uptake by Calla palustris from different substrates.
Federica Rinaldi1, Dana Komínková1, Kateřina Berchová1
1Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|February 8, 2017
Summary
Calla palustris absorbed significantly more cesium (Cs) when grown in water compared to soil or keramzit. Potassium addition reduced Cs uptake, indicating competition for plant absorption.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Plant Biology
- Radiochemistry
Background:
- Cesium (Cs) uptake by plants is a key factor in understanding radiocesium (e.g., 137Cs) bioavailability.
- Stable cesium (133Cs) uptake is often used as a proxy for radiocesium uptake.
- Calla palustris (Calla lily) is a plant species with potential applications in phytoremediation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the uptake of stable cesium (133Cs) by Calla palustris from different substrates.
- To investigate the influence of substrate type (water, soil, keramzit) and potassium addition on cesium uptake.
- To determine if plant parts or health status affect cesium accumulation.
Main Methods:
- Calla palustris plants were exposed to 0.5mM cesium chloride solution for eight days in four different substrates: water, soil, keramzit, and water with potassium.
- Cesium concentration in plant tissues (roots, healthy leaves, dead leaves, flowers) was analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Percentage of cesium removed from the solution and concentration in plant tissues were quantified.
Main Results:
- Plants grown in water showed the highest average cesium concentration (147 mg/kg), while those in soil had the lowest (0.7 mg/kg).
- Water-grown plants removed 31.6% of available cesium, compared to only 0.06% removed by soil-grown plants.
- Cesium uptake was reduced in the presence of potassium (41 mg/kg) and in solid substrates (soil, keramzit) due to cesium binding to soil particles.
- No significant differences in cesium uptake were observed between different plant parts or based on plant health.
Conclusions:
- Substrate type significantly impacts cesium bioavailability and plant uptake, with water facilitating higher uptake than soil or keramzit.
- Potassium competes with cesium for plant uptake, reducing overall cesium accumulation.
- Calla palustris demonstrates varying cesium uptake depending on environmental conditions, with implications for phytoremediation strategies.
