Search

Unrestricted disposal of tannery solid waste (TSW) into agricultural soils has resulted in the contamination of heavy metals (HMs) such as chromium (Cr) cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn) along with the severe potential to degrade the environmental quality around the world. In the present study, a combined phyto- and myco-remediation strategy was evaluated to enhance the growth, ionic contents, and phytoextraction potential of Brassica juncea and Vigna radiata for HMs from TSW-contaminated soil. A pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse using single or combined inoculation of Trichoderma pseudokoningii (Tp) and Aspergillus niger (An) in B. juncea and V. radiata under TSW-contaminated soil at different doses (0, 50, and 100%). The results showed that the growth parameters of both B. juncea and V. radiata were severely affected under 50 and 100% TSW treatment. The combined inoculation of both the fungal species ameliorated the positive impacts of 50 and 100% TSW application on growth and ionic contents accumulation in B. juncea and V. radiata . The combined application of An + Tp at 100% TSW enhanced the shoot length (87.8, 157.2%), root length (123.9, 120.6%), number of leaves (184.2, 175.0%), number of roots (104.7, 438.9%), and dry weight (179.4, 144.8%) of B. juncea and V. radiata , respectively as compared to control with any fungal treatment at 100% TSW. A single application of An at different doses of TSW enhanced the metal concentration in B. juncea , whereas Tp increased the concentration of the metals in V. radiata . The concentration of Cr in roots (196.2, 263.8%), shoots (342.4, 182.2%), Cu in roots (187.6, 137.0%), shoots (26.6, 76.0%), Cd in roots (245.2, 184.6%), shoots (142.1, 73.4%), Zn in roots (73.4, 57.5%), shoots (62.9, 57.6%), in B. juncea were increased by the application of An at 50 and 100% treatment levels of TSW, respectively compared to control (C). Moreover, the HMs (Cr, Cu, Cd, and Zn) uptake was also improved under 50 and 100% TSW with the combined inoculation of Tp + An in both B. juncea and V. radiata . In conclusion, the combined inoculation of Tp + An was more effective in metal removal from TSW-treated soil.NOVELTY STATEMENTLimited studies have been conducted on filamentous fungi systematically under metal-contaminated sites for their diversity, metal tolerance, and their potential in enhancing the phytoremediation potential of different crop plants.In the present study, single and/or combined inoculation of fungal strains was found effective in alleviating different metals stress in tannery solid waste contaminated soil by improving defense mechanisms and plant growth due to the association between fungal strains and plants.The combined application of both fungal strains had an additive effect in enhancing the bioaccumulation capacity of B. juncea and V. radiata compared to their single inoculation.

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a vigorous plant species with cosmopolitan distribution. It can uptake considerable quantities of heavy metals from the soil and accrue these metals in its different tissue. The use of chelating agent i.e., Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can boost up metal uptake capacity. Pot experiment was performed to evaluate phytoextraction potential of P. hysterophorus for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) with and without the aid of EDTA chelator. Shoot length, weight of root and shoot (both fresh and dry), leaves number, and chlorophyll contents of P. hysterophorus got reduced with an increase in metal uptake. The results revealed the highest concentration of Cd in shoot without and with EDTA was 283.6 and 300.1 mg kg -1 , correspondingly. Increase in Pb concentration was also boosted up by the EDTA from its maximum concentration in shoot 4.30-9.56 mg kg -1 . Generally, Pb and Cd concentrations were greater in shoots of P. hysterophorus than the roots regardless of EDTA in the treatments. EDTA also impacted positively the accumulation of essential ions K + , Na + , and Ca +2 in P. hysterophorus . The capacity of P. hysterophorus to accumulate Pb and Cd found to be increased with EDTA in the soil. Bringing metals level in the soil in accordance to the WHO standards can improve the ecosystem as well as public health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ejaz, Khan, Aqeel, Khalid, Sarfraz, Naeem, Han, Yu, Yue and Raposo.)

Heavy metal pollution is a great hazard to the environment that enters the ecosystem through different natural and anthropogenic sources. A study was performed to evaluate concentrations of Cd and Pb in selected plants, Ricinus communis and Parthenium hysterophorus, and soils from different functional sites in Sialkot. Maximum fresh and dry weights of R. communis were recorded from control and field sites. Highest concentrations of Cd in P. hysterophorus (33.5 mg kg -1 ) and R. communis (24.36 ± 2.83 mg kg -1 ) were recorded at residential and industrial sites, respectively. However, road site samples showed maximum concentrations of Pb both in R. communis (9.06 ± 0.35 mg kg -1 ) and P. hysterophorus (7.90 ± 0.36 mg kg -1 ). Soil from the road site were found to be highly acidic (pH 4.75 ± 0.04), while the field site showed highest EC (494 ± 3.60) and TDS (509 ± 3.00) values. Generally, there were reductions in chlorophyll a and carotenoids, but an increase in chlorophyll b was observed in both plants at all sites compared to the control., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)