Effects of sulfur on arsenic accumulation in seedlings of the mangrove Aegiceras conrniculatum
Guirong Wu A B , Haoliang Lu A , Jingchun Liu A and Chongling Yan A CA Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
B Chemical and Biological Engineering of Hezhou University, Hezhou, 542800, China.
C Corresponding author. Email: yanchongling_XMU@hotmail.com
Australian Journal of Botany 63(8) 664-668 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT15124
Submitted: 2 June 2015 Accepted: 2 September 2015 Published: 16 November 2015
Abstract
Levels of arsenic (As) contamination are generally increasing in the sediments of mangrove forests, which represent some of the world’s most threatened marine habitats. The highly anaerobic soils of these important coastal ecosystems are sulfide-rich, yet the potential role of sulfur (S) in the accumulation of As within mangrove tissues is poorly understood. To investigate those dynamics, the present study evaluated the effect of supplemental S on the accumulation of As in mangrove (Aegiceras conrniculatum L.) seedlings. We applied treatments in a 4 × 4 completely randomised factorial design that consisted of four S concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 4 g kg–1, in the form of S monomer) combined with four As concentrations (0, 30, 60 and 150 mg kg–1, in the form of Na2HAsO4·7H2O). Three replicates of each treatment combination were conducted. The experiment demonstrated that the effect of S was inversely related to As accumulation in the seedlings; it enhanced As accumulation when applied at low concentrations, and decreased its accumulation when applied at high concentrations. Moreover, supplying S altered the relative concentration of the different forms of As in seedlings, namely As (V) and As (III), and significantly decreased their concentration in roots (P < 0.01). Taken together, our results suggest that the addition of exiguous S can mitigate the toxicity of As to mangrove seedlings, which has implications for the remediation of polluted coastal areas that are vegetated with mangrove forests.
Additional keywords: arsenate, arsenite, contamination, phytoremediation, toxicology.
References
Abedin MJ, Meharg AA (2002) Relative toxicity of arsenite and arsenate on germination and early seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Plant and Soil 243, 57–66.| Relative toxicity of arsenite and arsenate on germination and early seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XmsFWmuro%3D&md5=b000988f56d146892a61d3946a58d8c5CAS |
Alongi DM (2002) Present state and future of the world’s mangrove forests. Environmental Conservation 29, 331–349.
| Present state and future of the world’s mangrove forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dixit G, Singh AP, Kumar A, Singh PK, Kumar S, Dwivedi S, Trivedi PK, Pandey V, Norton GJ, Dhankher OP, Tripathi RD (2015) Sulfur mediated reduction of arsenic toxicity involves efficient thiol metabolism and the antioxidant defense system in rice. Journal of Hazardous Materials 298, 241–251.
| Sulfur mediated reduction of arsenic toxicity involves efficient thiol metabolism and the antioxidant defense system in rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXhtVSisLzL&md5=6ba3be2f588dcf6a9bb7de6df63d548fCAS | 26073379PubMed |
Fan JL, Hu ZY, Ziadi N, Liu C (2013) Excessive sulfur supply reduces arsenic accumulation in brown rice. Plant, Soil and Environment 59, 169–174.
Hu ZY, Zhu YG, Li M, Zhang LG, Cao ZH, Smith FA (2007) Sulfur (S)-induced enhancement of iron plaque formation in the rhizosphere reduces arsenic accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings. Environmental Pollution 147, 387–393.
| Sulfur (S)-induced enhancement of iron plaque formation in the rhizosphere reduces arsenic accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXjvFGqs70%3D&md5=72d4610dbf7dc26a152e743710c72705CAS | 16996667PubMed |
Kirby J, Maher W, Chariton A, Krikowa F (2002) Arsenic concentrations and speciation in a temperate mangrove ecosystem, NSW, Australia. Applied Organometallic Chemistry 16, 192–201.
| Arsenic concentrations and speciation in a temperate mangrove ecosystem, NSW, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xis1Kktbg%3D&md5=a95f31099ccf7b9c367d1dd1cdff3447CAS |
Liu JC, Yan CL, Macnair MR, Hu J, Li YH (2006) Distribution and speciation of some metals in mangrove sediments from Jiulong River Estuary, People’s Republic of China. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 76, 815–822.
| Distribution and speciation of some metals in mangrove sediments from Jiulong River Estuary, People’s Republic of China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu Y, Tam NFY, Yang JX, Pi N, Wong MH, Ye ZH (2009) Mixed heavy metals tolerance and radial oxygen loss in mangrove seedlings. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58, 1843–1849.
| Mixed heavy metals tolerance and radial oxygen loss in mangrove seedlings.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhsV2jtLbK&md5=98aa463b812523a0702eed4f5fa1bfb0CAS | 19692098PubMed |
Maher W, Foster S, Krikowa F (2009) Arsenic species in Australian temperate marine food chains. Marine and Freshwater Research 60, 885–892.
| Arsenic species in Australian temperate marine food chains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhtFGhs77F&md5=0db998db22b6c50c351620a363a50094CAS |
Meharg AA, Hartley-Whitaker J (2002) Arsenic uptake and metabolism in arsenic resistant and nonresistant plant species. New Phytologist 154, 29–43.
| Arsenic uptake and metabolism in arsenic resistant and nonresistant plant species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xjs1Gqsb8%3D&md5=1c45c99afbe009da3208c2a4dc19826eCAS |
Rausch T, Wachter A (2005) Sulfur metabolism: a versatile platform for launching defence operations. Trends in Plant Science 10, 503–509.
| Sulfur metabolism: a versatile platform for launching defence operations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXhtVOksbjN&md5=ff1bba9639b55a3051257fd5fd94b2d2CAS | 16143557PubMed |
Smith PG, Koch I, Reimer KJ (2008) Uptake, transport and transformation of arsenate in radishes (Raphanus sativus). The Science of the Total Environment 390, 188–197.
| Uptake, transport and transformation of arsenate in radishes (Raphanus sativus).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhsVSgtLrF&md5=5ae3279bbb30cc849acc70795804cddeCAS | 17976691PubMed |
Srivastava S, D’souza S (2009) Increasing sulfur supply enhances tolerance to arsenic and its accumulation in Hydrilla verticillata (Lf) Royle. Environmental Science & Technology 43, 6308–6313.
| Increasing sulfur supply enhances tolerance to arsenic and its accumulation in Hydrilla verticillata (Lf) Royle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos12mu7s%3D&md5=985921f64d4edb01dd165ee46bb6b798CAS |
Srivastava S, D’souza S (2010) Effect of variable sulfur supply on arsenic tolerance and antioxidant responses in Hydrilla verticillata (Lf) Royle. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 73, 1314–1322.
| Effect of variable sulfur supply on arsenic tolerance and antioxidant responses in Hydrilla verticillata (Lf) Royle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtFamtbvO&md5=b25b980e5e6558e4f92d8ba8eec01c9dCAS | 20079533PubMed |
Thomson D, Maher W, Foster S (2007) Arsenic and selected elements in inter-tidal and estuarine marine algae, south‐east coast, NSW, Australia. Applied Organometallic Chemistry 21, 396–411.
| Arsenic and selected elements in inter-tidal and estuarine marine algae, south‐east coast, NSW, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXms1yit7s%3D&md5=7f419755259003689fea67e35ba819b5CAS |
Watanabe T, Kouho R, Katayose T, Kitajima N, Sakamoto N, Yamaguchi N, Shinano T, Yurimoto H, Osaki M (2014) Arsenic alters uptake and distribution of sulphur in Pteris vittata. Plant, Cell & Environment 37, 45–53.
| Arsenic alters uptake and distribution of sulphur in Pteris vittata.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhvVyjurbJ&md5=ba243ef3ec8972456dc7bfc2d0df7e5aCAS |
Zhang J, Zhao QZ, Duan GL, Huang YC (2011) Influence of sulphur on arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice seedlings. Environmental and Experimental Botany 72, 34–40.
| Influence of sulphur on arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice seedlings.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXltFykur4%3D&md5=633ff1e0d58d0f772f66ebfc2cb378a0CAS |
Zhao FJ, Ma JF, Meharg AA, McGrath SP (2009) Arsenic uptake and metabolism in plants. New Phytologist 181, 777–794.
| Arsenic uptake and metabolism in plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXjsFGitbw%3D&md5=5b6eace2891d07caa01dae84f95cfb0eCAS | 19207683PubMed |
Zhao FJ, McGrath SP, Meharg AA (2010) Arsenic as a food chain contaminant: mechanisms of plant uptake and metabolism and mitigation strategies. Annual Review of Plant Biology 61, 535–559.
| Arsenic as a food chain contaminant: mechanisms of plant uptake and metabolism and mitigation strategies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXnslSjsb0%3D&md5=f8f7fcffb2c468b3f36bfc0099004597CAS | 20192735PubMed |
Zhong L, Hu C, Tan Q, Liu J, Sun X (2011) Effects of sulfur application on sulfur and arsenic absorption by rapeseed in arsenic-contaminated soil. Plant, Soil and Environment 57, 429–434.
