Accumulation and biological cycling of heavy metal in four salt marsh species, from Tagus estuary (Portugal)

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 158; no. 5; pp. 1661 - 1668
• Main Authors: Duarte, B., Caetano, M., Almeida, P.R., Vale, C., Caçador, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2010; Elsevier Science Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Brackish water ecosystems; Budgeting; cadmium; cobalt; copper; Cycles; estuaries; Estuarine environments; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Halimione portulacoides; Heavy metals; leaves; Magnoliopsida - chemistry; Magnoliopsida - metabolism; Metal cycling; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; Phytoremediation; Plant Roots - chemistry; Plant Roots - metabolism; Portugal; Root; Roots; Salt marshes; Sarcocornia fruticosa; Sediments; senescence; Sodium Chloride - metabolism; Spartina; Spartina maritima; Synecology; Turnover periods; Wetlands; zinc; Portugal; Europe; ANE, Portugal; ANE, Portugal, Tejo Estuary; Salt marshes; Turnover periods; Metal cycling; Root; Brackish water environment; Estuaries; Halimione portulacoides; Chenopodiaceae; Heavy metal; Trace element; Salt marsh; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Turnover; Vegetation; Spermatophyta; Water pollution; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.12.004

Pools of Zn, Cu, Cd and Co in leaf, stem and root tissues of Sarcocornia fruticosa, Sarcocornia perennis, Halimione portulacoides and Spartina maritima were analyzed on a bimonthly basis, in a Tagus estuary salt marsh. All the major concentrations were found in the root tissues, being the concentrations in the aboveground organs neglectable for sediment budget proposes, as seen by the low root-aboveground translocation. Metal annual accumulation, root turnovers and cycling coefficients were also assessed. S. maritima showed the higher root turnovers and cycling coefficients for most of the analyzed metals, making this a phytostabilizer specie. By contrast the low root turnover, cycling coefficient and low root necromass generation makes S. perennis the most suitable specie for phytoremediation processes. Although the high amounts of metal return to the sediments, due to root senescence, salt marshes can still be considered sinks of heavy metals, cycling heavy metals mostly between sediment and root. The efficiency of the phytoremediative processes and metal budgets are greatly influenced by the turnover periods and necromass generation.