Uptake of traffic-related heavy metals and platinum group elements (PGE) by plants

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 215; no. 1; pp. 59 - 67
• Main Authors: Schäfer, J, Hannker, D, Eckhardt, J.-D, Stüben, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 23.04.1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: ABSORCION DE SUSTANCIAS NUTRITIVAS; ABSORPTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; AIR POLLUTION; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Autoexhaust catalyst; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Emission; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metals; LEPIDIUM SATIVUM; Non agrochemicals pollutants; NUTRIENT UPTAKE; PHACELIA; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plants; PLATINE; PLATINO; PLATINUM; Platinum group elements; POLLUTION ATMOSPHERIQUE; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; POLUCION DEL AIRE; SPINACIA OLERACEA; Transfer coefficient; URTICA DIOICA; VEHICLES; VEHICULE; VEHICULOS; Europe; Germany; Emission; Autoexhaust catalyst; Plants; Transfer coefficient; Platinum group elements; Heavy metals; Urtica dioica; Green manure; Weed; Spinacia oleracea; Lepidium sativum; Chenopodiaceae; Medicinal plant; Heavy metal; Urticaceae; Absorption; Vegetable crop; Cruciferae; Platinum; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Air pollution; Hydrophyllaceae; Spermatophyta; Exhaust gas; Road traffic
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/S0048-9697(98)00115-6

The distribution of the platinum group elements (PGE) caused by traffic emissions from autoexhaust catalysts has been determined in soils and different types of plants. The plants (spinach, cress, phacelia, stinging nettle) were cultivated on different soils collected from areas adjacent to a German highway and on uncontaminated sandy and clayey soils. The main result of the experiments was a measurable transfer of PGE from contaminated soil to plants. Following the definition of Sauerbeck (1989), Pt, Rh and Pd transfer coefficients are within the range of immobile to moderately mobile elements, such as Cu. The transfer coefficient decreases from Pd>Pt≥Rh, palladium therefore is the most biologically available of this element group.