Riz Jomaica N.

Arenas February 21, 2020

BSChE-5 / CHE PE4 - V1

Identification of Indicators of Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.) Ecotypes

for Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soil in a
Non-ferrous Mining and Smelting Area in Southern China
Proponents: Ya-Nan Liua, , Xi-Yuan Xiaob , Zhao-Hui Guob

An investigation of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) in a non-ferrous mining and smelting

area in southern China was carried out to select indicators to identify ecotypes suitable for

phytoremediation. Giant reed survived with soil pH ranging from 2.9 to 9.59, cadmium (Cd)

content of up to 525 mg/kg, and lead (Pb) content of up to 57194 mg/kg. The giant reed

population at Hunan (HN), with a soil Cd content of up to 2.3 mg/kg, and that at Yunnan (YN),

with a soil Pb content of up to 33.8 mg/kg, were selected as suitable sources of ecotypes with

high phytoremediation potential in the studied area’s soil.

The malondialdehyde (MDA) content of giant reeds was increased by up to 30 μmol/g by

Cd and Pb contamination. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) of all the giant

reed, the biochemical and morphological indicators including their leaf area, height, and content

of malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophyll could be regarded as indicators for the identification

of giant reed ecotypes, which was confirmed by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and

redundancy analysis (RDA). The irregular granular excretion was also an indicator for

phytoremediation especially of the solid ecotypes examined using a scanning electron

microscope (SEM).