Uptake and distribution of some heavy metals in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) grown in artificially contaminated soils

Issue Date

6-2008

Abstract

The concentration of metals in plants served to indicate the contamination status of the soil. Identifying potential plant species for phytoremediation of metal contaminated sites is a continuous search. The present study investigated the uptake and distribution of several heavy metals of environmental interest by peanut {Arachis hypogaea). Peanut seeds were grown in soil pots contaminated with low- and high-level of copper, zinc, manganese, cadmium, chromium and lead. The elemental distribution of heavy metals in the vegetative parts (leaves, stems and roots) and reproductive parts (flowers, fruits and seeds) was determined in two stages: (1) after 6 wk of plant growth (flowering) and (2) after 16 wk of full growth (harvest). The results indicated that the vegetative parts were more susceptible to soil metals than the reproductive parts. The presence of the six heavy metals did not affect the biomass production of peanuts as shown in the index of tolerance (IT) and mean height close to or exceeding 100%. This only means that peanuts were able to tolerate the presence of these heavy metals even at higher contaminations. Among the metals, chromium, copper and zinc were accumulated more in the roots and leaves of peanuts. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) of the metals decreased as the soil metal loading rates increased. In contrast, the BCF for copper and chromium significantly increased as the metal loading rate increased.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The (Formerly: The Philippine Agriculturist)

ISSN

0031-7454

Volume

91

Issue

2

Page

134-142

Document Type

Article

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Frequency

quarterly

Physical Description

graphs, tables, references

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

ARACHIS HYPOGAEA; GROUNDNUTS; POLLUTED SOILS; HEAVY METALS; TOLERANCE; BIOCONCENTRATION FACTOR

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