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Phytoremediation of Pb‐Contaminated Soil by Salicornia iranica : Key Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Pb Detoxification
Author(s) -
Kaviani Elina,
Niazi Ali,
Heydarian Zohreh,
Moghadam Ali,
GhasemiFasaei Reza,
Abdollahzadeh Tayebe
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
clean – soil, air, water
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1863-0669
pISSN - 1863-0650
DOI - 10.1002/clen.201500964
Subject(s) - phytoremediation , shoot , abscisic acid , chemistry , environmental chemistry , gibberellic acid , soil contamination , botany , horticulture , biology , contamination , biochemistry , heavy metals , ecology , germination , gene
The heavy metal lead (Pb) is one of the most important environmental pollutants and abiotic stresses with harmful effects on all living beings including plants. In this study, Salicornia iranica was used in an attempt to phytoremediate Pb‐contaminated soil. Possible mechanisms of plant tolerance against Pb pollution and its detoxification were studied through expression analysis of Glutathione‐S‐transferase ( GST ) and measurement of involved key physiological components. Interestingly, promoter analysis of GST showed that there are some essential cis‐acting elements responsive to gibberellin, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) family binding sites involved in Pb detoxification. The concentration of chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids significantly decreased in plants grown on Pb‐contaminated soil for 90 days and in 90‐day‐old plants treated for 24 and 48 h (at a concentration of 1000 mg/kg Pb). The result of free proline measurement showed that it significantly increased in shoot tissue. The Pb absorption and its concentration increased in shoot tissue. In addition, the GST expression significantly increased as a result of the 100 mg/kg Pb treatment, but not at the higher concentration of 1000 mg/kg Pb. It was also observed that Pb accumulation did not influence plant growth parameters such as shoot and root lengths. Therefore, S. iranica is able to accumulate Pb in shoot tissue, and it may be useful in phytoremediation of Pb‐polluted soil.