Phytoaccumulation of Benzo[a]pyrene by the Barley in Artificially Contaminated Soil

ABSTRACT

The assessment of toxic effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on Haplic chernozems soil was developed by using spring barley (Hordeum sativum distichum) bioaccumulation tendencies. Spring barley was used to estimate the negative effect of chernozemic soil contamination with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), one the most carcinogenic and mutagenic PAHs compounds. The bioaccumulation tendencies were studied in soil spiking with BaP. Spiked doses were close to technogenic pressure level in studied area, 0–800 µg/kg of BaP. Condition and doses of BaP during 4 years of model experiment influenced morphometric characteristics of spring barley and rates of BaP uptake by plants. Exposure to the growth characteristics containing at least 20 µg/kg BaP promoted absorbing BaP by plants root system as well as increased roots length. Tendencies of phytotoxicity parameters inhibition were observed for all morphometric characteristics of spring barley as energy of germination, length of vegetation part, plant weight and ear height. Quantifiable levels of BaP uptake by spring barley roots exceeded vegetative part more than 2.5 times in all polluted variants. The constant of BaP semi-degradation in artificially polluted Haplic chernozems for 48 months of model experiment T₅₀ reached 1.2–3.4 years. Thus, the BaP uptake by spring barley from chernozem soil contributes to the bioindication responses during environmental monitoring to assess the impact of BaP pollution.

KEYWORDS:

• Bioaccumulation
• environmental modeling
• plants
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• soil contamination

Acknowledgments

The analytical work was carried out on the equipment of Centers for Collective Use of Southern Federal University “High Technology” and “Biotechnology, Biomedical and Environmental Monitoring”.

Funding

This research was supported by Russian Scientific Foundation no. 16-14-10217.