Macrophytes as potential biomonitors in peri-urban wetlands of the Middle Parana River (Argentina)

ALONSO, X.; HADAD, H.R.; CORDOBA, C.A.; POLLA, W.; REYES, M.S.; FERNÁNDEZ, V. ; GRANADOS, I.; MARINO, L.; VILLALBA, A.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2018 vol. 25 p. 312 - 323

0944-1344

The aims of this study were to measure the concentrationsof nutrients and pollutants in peri-urban wetlands, toanalyze the plant morphology of the most representative macrophytespecies, and to determine their potential use asbiomonitors. Four wetlands in the Middle Paraná River floodplainevidencing contamination or anthropogenic impact werestudied. The studied species were Typha domingensis Pers.,Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms., Alternantheraphiloxeroides (Mart.) Griseb., and Pistia stratiotes L.Besides, the same plant species from an uncontaminated wetlandconsidered as control were studied. A. philoxeroidesshowed the highest total phosphorus (TP) concentration inleaves throughout the study, while the other species showeda higher TP concentration in roots than in leaves. Since metalconcentration in A. philoxeroides tissues was always higherthan in sediment, further studies focused on itsphytoremediation capacity should be carried out.T. domingensis exhibited the highest Zn concentrations inroots followed by Pb, and E. crassipes presented the highestvalues of Pb concentrations in roots. The aerial part height ofthe plants from peri-urban wetlands was significantly higherthan that of the plants from the control, while the root lengthwas significantly lower. The root length of P. stratiotesshowed a negative correlation with soluble reactive phosphorus(SRP) concentration in water. All the root anatomical parametersof T. domingensis and E. crassipes showed a positivecorrelation with nitrate and ammonium concentrations in water.The studied macrophytes evidenced a high tolerance, enablingthem to grow and survive in peri-urban wetlands thatreceive pollution from different sources. The use of aquaticand wetland plants as contaminant bioindicators andbioaccumulators in the Middle Paraná River floodplain iscompletely feasible.