Nickel accumulation and its effects on Eichhornia crassipes

GONZÁLEZ, C. I.; MAINE, M.A.; SÁNCHEZ, G.C.; BENAVIDEZ, M.P

Nantes

Simposio; 5th International Symposium on Wetland Pollutant Dynamics and Control, WETPOL; 2013

Ecole des Mines de Nantes-GEPEA

The aim of this work was to study the effect of nickel accumulation in Eichhornia crassipes. The responses of physiological parameters, oxidative damage and changes in antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated in roots and aerial parts. Nickel was added to obtain concentrations of 1, 2, 3 and 4 mg/L. The study was conducted over 3 days, sampling at periods of 24, 48 and 72 h. The experiments were performed in triplicate with a control in the absence of Ni. Physiological changes that implicate an increase in photosynthetic activity were observed in E. crassipes exposed to different nickel concentrations for short times. These changes would provide the energy needed to sustain the increased activities of antioxidant enzymes. Guaiacol peroxidise enzyme (POD) plays an important role in antioxidant defence. Nickel uptake occurs fundamentally in the first 24 h of exposure for all the treatments. Ni was mainly accumulated in roots. The damage to lipids (measured as MDA) showed a significantly increase in roots at the third day of treatment, indicating a moderate oxidative stress. E. crassipes tolerated the nickel exposure and could be expected a similar response in a constructed wetland for effluent treatment.