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Comparison of Arsenic Accumulation by Two Ferns, Pteris Vattata and Nephrodium Molle

Afroza Hossain
Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

J. C. Joardar
Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Dr. S. M. lmamul Huq
Professor
Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Two different indigenous ferns viz. Pteris vittata and Nephrodium molle were grown in pots with spiked As concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 mg/kg to find their abilities as phytoremediators for the element. The results showed that arsenic content in the fronds and rhizoids increased with growth period and increasing As concentration in the soil. At 100 mg As/kg soil treatment and at 75 days after transplantation, arsenic content in the fronds and rhizoids of P. vittata reached 1073.52 and 537.35 mg/kg d. w., respectively which is quite different from any normal plants, while inN. molle, the values were only 3.11 and 15.6 mg/kg d.w., respectively. In the control treatments, the bioaccumulation coefficients of the fronds and rhizoids of P. vittata were as high as 34.18 and 18.2, respectively while the same were 0.82 and 0.74, respectively for N. molle. Common with other established phytoremediators, the bioaccumulation coefficients of P. vittata as well as N. molle showed a decreasing tendency with increasing As in soil. Besides, no significant difference (p = 0.432 for P. vittata, p = 0.116 for N. molle) in biomass production was found for different As treatments compared to that of control. P. vittata has been found to be extremely tolerant and hyper accumulative to arsenic compared to N. molle. The possibility of the ferns vi s-a-vis their phytoremedial characters have been discussed in the paper.

Keywords: Pteris vittata, Nephrodium molle, Arsenic, Bioaccumulation coefficients, Hyper accumulator

Location: Chornoyadanga village of Manikganj district.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Arsenic, Arsenic

Objectives:

To find the accumulating extent with characteristics of the stated ferns and judge the possibility of introducing them as As phytoremediators.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted to study the accumulation of arsenic into two selected ferns (viz. Pteris vittata and Nephrodium molle) at different levels of As concentrations and at different days' interval. The experiment was based on arsenic accumulation by the selected indigenous ferns which were collected from different parts of Curzon Hall, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The soil samples, belonging to the Sonatola series, were collected from Chornoyadanga village of Manikganj district. The texture was silty loam, pH 6.97 and total As 0.615 mg/kg. The sampling site selected was adjacent to the agricultural land. Samples were collected from a depth of 0 - 15 cm from the surface by composite soil sampling method as suggested by the Soil Survey Staff of the USDA < 6' After collecting the samples, the soils were processed to bring the soil to a favorable condition for better crop growth; the soil samples were air dried and the larger aggregates were gently broken and passed through a 2 mm sieve; the soil thus sieved, was mixed thoroughly and used for pot culture experiments. A portion of this soil further ground and passed through a 0.5 mm sieve for various physical and chemical analyses in laboratory. Three kg size fresh earthen pots having no holes at the bottom were used for the pot experiment. The pots were washed and dried in sunlight. Two kg soils were put in each pot. Arsenic at the rate of 10, 20, 50 and 100 mg per kg soil was applied to the treated pots. A set of control, with no As was also included. Arsenic was applied as solution made from sodium meta arsenite (NaAs0 ) with three replications for each treatment. The treatments were applied once at a time. The collected plants were washed with tap water and then with distilled water to remove the extra soils. Three healthy plants were selected and transplanted in each pot and allowed to grow. Positions of the pots were changed every alternate day to allow equal exposure of each of the pots to sunlight. Plants received watering with tap water daily. Adequate plant protection measures were taken during the growing period. Plants were allowed to grow for 75 days after sowing them in the pots. However, sampling of the plants were done at 30, 45 and 75 days after transplantation (DAT). Plants were harvested manually by uprooting them. Plant roots were washed first with tap water for dislodging the debris then the free space in the roots was cleared by washing in distilled water. Aerial parts of plants were also washed. After harvesting, the plants were cut off into fronds and rhizoids. Fresh weights of the fronds and the rhizoids were noted separately. Plant samples were air dried for a day and then oven dried at 80 ± 5°C for 48 hours. The oven-dried samples were ground by electrical grinder and passed through a 0.2 mm sieve and were used for subsequent analysis. After harvesting, soil samples in each pot were also collected and prepared for analysis as per method mentioned earlier. Total arsenic in soil and plant was analyzed by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (HG-ASS). Plant samples were extracted with HN0₃ and the soil with aqua regia (HN0₃ : HCl, 1 : 3). solution Certified reference materials (CRMs) were carried through the digestion and analyzed as part of the quality assurance/quality control protocol. Reagent blanks and internal standards were used where appropriate to ensure accuracy and precision in the analysis of arsenic. Each batch of 20 samples was accompanied with reference standard samples to ensure strict QA/QC procedures.

Source of Information: Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 15(2): 95-103, 2006 (July), ISSN 1021-2484

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It has been observed in this experiment that ferns in general are tolerant to high soil As. Of the two indigenous ferns, P. uittata was found to be a hyper accumulator which character could be efficiently used for phytoremediating As contaminated soil. Our results further prove the hyper accumulation of As by P. uittata as observed by others. N. molle , though can tolerate high soil As, however, cannot be used as a phytoremediating plant. The wide distribution with easy adaptation to different conditions, P. vittata demonstrated a favorable prospect for its application in the phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated soils. Therefore, commercial cultivation of P. vittata particularly along agricultural fields receiving As contaminated ground water irrigation could be a prospective remedial measure.

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