Development of Canavalia ensiformis in soil contaminated with diesel oil

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017, Vol.24 (1), p.979-986
• Main Authors: Balliana, A. G., Moura, B. B., Inckot, R. C., Bona, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biology; Biomass; Bioremediation; Canavalia - drug effects; Canavalia - growth & development; Canavalia ensiformis; Carotenoids; Contaminants; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Experiments; Field tests; Flowers & plants; Gasoline - analysis; Gasoline - toxicity; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons - analysis; Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Leaves; Legumes; Models, Theoretical; Nitrogen; Oil pollution; Physiology; Phytoremediation; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant species; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Research Article; Seedlings; Seedlings - drug effects; Seedlings - growth & development; Seeds; Soil - chemistry; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Studies; Toxicity; Tropical environments; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7674-1

Hydrocarbons are the main components of diesel oil and are toxic for the majority of plants. A few plant species, known as phytoremediators, are tolerant of hydrocarbons and can survive the stressful conditions of soils contaminated with diesel oil. Canavalia ensiformis , a plant species that is well distributed throughout the tropics, possesses advantageous features for a potential resistance to soil contamination, such as fast growth and a deep root system. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the tolerance of C. ensiformis when it was exposed to soil contaminated with diesel oil. Seedlings were subjected to two treatments: contaminated soil (CS) (95 ml/kg of diesel oil) and non-contaminated soil (NCS) for a period of 30 days; its growth, morphology, anatomy, and physiology were analyzed. Despite the high level of toxicity, some individuals were able to survive in CS. These plants had root apical meristems with high levels of mitosis and were able to issue new roots with more developed aerenchyma tissue. Because the surviving plants presented no marks of cellular damage on the organs formed (root and leaves) during the experiment, the species capacity of growth on CS was confirmed. Although, long-term field experiments, applying different contaminant concentrations, should be considered to infer about the species resistance and use as phytoremediator.