scholarly journals The role of the seagrass <i>Posidonia oceanica</i> in the cycling of trace elements

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 2497-2507 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sanz-Lázaro ◽  
P. Malea ◽  
E. T. Apostolaki ◽  
I. Kalantzi ◽  
A. Marín ◽  
...  

Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epiphytes) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epiphytes were the compartment, which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. Trace element translocation in P. oceanica seemed to be low and acropetal in most cases. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi showed the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 2623-2653 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sanz-Lázaro ◽  
P. Malea ◽  
E. T. Apostolaki ◽  
I. Kalantzi ◽  
A. Marín ◽  
...  

Abstract. The aim of this work was to study the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in the different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epibiota) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epibiota was the compartment which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. For most trace elements, translocation seemed to be low and acropetal. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flávio Henrique Silveira Rabêlo ◽  
Jaco Vangronsveld ◽  
Alan J. M. Baker ◽  
Antony van der Ent ◽  
Luís Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni

The pollution of soil, water, and air by potentially toxic trace elements poses risks to environmental and human health. For this reason, many chemical, physical, and biological processes of remediation have been developed to reduce the (available) trace element concentrations in the environment. Among those technologies, phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly in situ and cost-effective approach to remediate sites with low-to-moderate pollution with trace elements. However, not all species have the potential to be used for phytoremediation of trace element-polluted sites due to their morpho-physiological characteristics and low tolerance to toxicity induced by the trace elements. Grasses are prospective candidates due to their high biomass yields, fast growth, adaptations to infertile soils, and successive shoot regrowth after harvest. A large number of studies evaluating the processes related to the uptake, transport, accumulation, and toxicity of trace elements in grasses assessed for phytoremediation have been conducted. The aim of this review is (i) to synthesize the available information on the mechanisms involved in uptake, transport, accumulation, toxicity, and tolerance to trace elements in grasses; (ii) to identify suitable grasses for trace element phytoextraction, phytostabilization, and phytofiltration; (iii) to describe the main strategies used to improve trace element phytoremediation efficiency by grasses; and (iv) to point out the advantages, disadvantages, and perspectives for the use of grasses for phytoremediation of trace element-polluted soils.


Author(s):  
Anne-Aziliz Pelleter ◽  
Gaëlle Prouteau ◽  
Bruno Scaillet

Abstract We performed phase equilibrium experiments on a natural Ca-poor pelite at 3 GPa, 750-1000 °C, under moderately oxidizing conditions, simulating the partial melting of such lithologies in subduction zones. Experiments investigated the effect of sulphur addition on phase equilibria and compositions, with S contents of up to ∼ 2.2 wt. %. Run products were characterized for their major and trace element contents, in order to shed light on the role of sulphur on the trace element patterns of melts produced by partial melting of oceanic Ca-poor sediments. Results show that sulphur addition leads to the replacement of phengite by biotite along with the progressive consumption of garnet, which is replaced by an orthopyroxene-kyanite assemblage at the highest sulphur content investigated. All Fe-Mg silicate phases produced with sulphur, including melt, have higher MgO/(MgO+FeO) ratios (relative to S-free/poor conditions), owing to Fe being primarily locked up by sulphide in the investigated redox range. Secular infiltration of the mantle wedge by such MgO and K2O-rich melts may have contributed to the Mg and K-rich character of the modern continental crust. Addition of sulphur does not affect significantly the stability of the main accessory phases controlling the behaviour of trace elements (monazite, rutile and zircon), although our results suggest that monazite solubility is sensitive to S content at the conditions investigated. The low temperature (∼ 800 °C) S-bearing and Ca-poor sediment sourced slab melts show Th and La abundances, Th/La systematics and HFSE signatures in agreement with the characteristics of sediment-rich arc magmas. Because high S contents diminish phengite and garnet stabilities, S-rich and Ca-poor sediment sourced slab melts have higher contents of Rb, B, Li (to a lesser extent), and HREE. The highest ratios of La/Yb are observed in sulphur-poor runs (with a high proportion of garnet, which retains HREE) and beyond the monazite out curve (which retains LREE). Sulphides appear to be relatively Pb-poor and impart high Pb/Ce ratio to coexisting melts, even at high S content. Overall, our results show that Phanerozoic arc magmas from high sediment flux margins owe their geochemical signature to the subduction of terrigenous, sometimes S-rich, sediments. In contrast, subduction of such lithologies during Archean appears unlikely or unrecorded.


1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Raie ◽  
H. Smith

The level of 10 trace elements (As, Br, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Se, Zn) in infant tissues (5 cot deaths, 4 other causes) are presented. These levels are compared with the normal adult levels for the same area or with the levels presented in the literature. The concentrations of 5 trace elements (As, Cu, Hg, Mn, Se) in human milk and 4 brands of artificial milks are also given and the intake of these trace elements from human and artificial milk for infants up to the age of 6 months is calculated. It is concluded that some artificial milks contain less of some essential trace elements (e.g. Cu and Se) and are richer in toxic trace elements (e.g. Hg and As). The suggestion of deficiency of the reported trace elements as a cause of cot deaths is rejected.


1971 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 461-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry A Schroeder ◽  
Alexis P Nason

Abstract Present knowledge of human bodily contents and concentrations in blood, urine, and hair of 11 essential trace elements and 17-22 nonessential inert or toxic trace elements is reviewed and summarized. Analyses of trace elements are applicable as diagnostic aids and indices for therapy in a number of clinical conditions. Techniques are not difficult, and analyses will probably become more or less routine for many diseases in which primary or secondary abnormalities are manifest. Trace elements play fundamental roles in human metabolism.


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