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Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants
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Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 19807

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Valeria Spagnuolo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy
Interests: phytoremediation; plant biomonitoring; plant response to abiotic stress; plant biodiversity along environmental gradients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Simonetta Giordano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy
Interests: biomonitoring of air quality; bioaccumulation of pollutants; plant-environment interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria Cristina Sorrentino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Cereal and Industrial Crops (CREA-CI), via Torrino 2, 81100 Caserta, CE, Italy
Interests: phytoremediation; plant biomonitoring; air indoor pollution; heavy-metal effects on plants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Phytomonitoring and phytoremediation are two aspects related to the intrinsic properties of plants. These organisms are indeed sessile beings; therefore, they cannot escape environmental injuries. As a consequence, plants can display signs of sensitivity or tolerance to environmental pollutants, linked to their ability to develop proper mechanisms to cope with environmental stress. Environmental pollution is one of the most pressing problems worldwide, particularly in densely populated and industrialized areas. Persistent pollutants, such as heavy metals, PAHs, dioxins, and microplastics accumulate in the environment as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic activities, contaminating air, water bodies, sediments and soil. These contaminants pass from the abiotic component of ecosystems to the biotic one, along the food chain, up to humans, causing serious damage to both environmental and human health.

Therefore, the extensive monitoring and the cleaning of environmental compartments from pollutants represent crucial challenges to minimizing the hazard to the ecosystems. As for photo monitoring, alongside widely consolidated approaches, few data exist on the potential of plants as biomonitors of microplastics, leaving a relevant knowledge gap in the scientific literature. Further, the effects of less studied stressors on plants (e.g, physical stress, ionizing radiations,…) deserve in-depth dedicated investigations and analyses. Regarding remediation of polluted soil, physical and chemical methods are generally expensive, and their application returns soils devoid of their original biological properties, sometimes producing new wastes. The use of plants and associated microbiota in restoring polluted soils, water bodies and sediments are effective and eco-friendly restoration methods. They are receiving increasing attention from researchers and stakeholders, also raising public awareness of environmental protection as an important value for life quality.

The aim of this Special Issue is to welcome all those original studies focused on algae, cryptogams and vascular plants as biomonitors and restorers of environmental pollutants.

Prof. Dr. Valeria Spagnuolo
Prof. Dr. Simonetta Giordano
Dr. Maria Cristina Cristina Sorrentino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant bioindicators
  • plant bioaccumulators
  • plants and abiotic stress
  • organic and inorganic pollutants
  • plants and radiations
  • microplastics

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 176 KiB  
Editorial
Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants
by Maria Cristina Sorrentino, Simonetta Giordano and Valeria Spagnuolo
Plants 2024, 13(3), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13030366 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 764
Abstract
Since 1973, with the activation of the Environmental Action Program (EAP), the European Union has produced a substantial body of legislative packages aimed at improving the environmental quality; as a result, air, water, and soil pollution have significantly been reduced, as stated by [...] Read more.
Since 1973, with the activation of the Environmental Action Program (EAP), the European Union has produced a substantial body of legislative packages aimed at improving the environmental quality; as a result, air, water, and soil pollution have significantly been reduced, as stated by the European Commission in the EAP 2020 [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

17 pages, 2811 KiB  
Article
Mixing Compost and Biochar Can Enhance the Chemical and Biological Recovery of Soils Contaminated by Potentially Toxic Elements
by Matteo Garau, Maria Vittoria Pinna, Maria Nieddu, Paola Castaldi and Giovanni Garau
Plants 2024, 13(2), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020284 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 792
Abstract
Biochar and compost are able to influence the mobility of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil. As such, they can be useful in restoring the functionality of contaminated soils, albeit their effectiveness can vary substantially depending on the chemical and/or the (micro)biological endpoint [...] Read more.
Biochar and compost are able to influence the mobility of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil. As such, they can be useful in restoring the functionality of contaminated soils, albeit their effectiveness can vary substantially depending on the chemical and/or the (micro)biological endpoint that is targeted. To better explore the potential of the two amendments in the restoration of PTE-contaminated soils, biochar, compost (separately added at 3% w/w), and their mixtures (1:1, 3:1, and 1:3 biochar-to-compost ratios) were added to contaminated soil (i.e., 2362 mg kg−1 of Sb and 2801 mg kg−1 of Zn). Compost and its mixtures promoted an increase in soil fertility (e.g., total N; extractable P; and exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg), which was not found in the soil treated with biochar alone. All the tested amendments substantially reduced labile Zn in soil, while biochar alone was the most effective in reducing labile Sb in the treated soils (−11% vs. control), followed by compost (−4%) and biochar–compost mixtures (−8%). Compost (especially alone) increased soil biochemical activities (e.g., dehydrogenase, urease, and β-glucosidase), as well as soil respiration and the potential catabolic activity of soil microbial communities, while biochar alone (probably due to its high adsorptive capacity towards nutrients) mostly exhibited an inhibitory effect, which was partially mitigated in soils treated with both amendments. Overall, the biochar–compost combinations had a synergistic effect on both amendments, i.e., reducing PTE mobility and restoring soil biological functionality at the same time. This finding was supported by plant growth trials which showed increased Sb and Zn mineralomass values for rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) grown on biochar–compost mixtures, suggesting a potential use of rigid ryegrass in the compost–biochar-assisted phytoremediation of PTE-contaminated soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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15 pages, 1285 KiB  
Article
Ameliorating Effects of Graphene Oxide on Cadmium Accumulation and Eco-Physiological Characteristics in a Greening Hyperaccumulator (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)
by Zhouli Liu, Qingxuan Lu, Yi Zhao, Jianbing Wei, Miao Liu, Xiangbo Duan and Maosen Lin
Plants 2024, 13(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010019 - 20 Dec 2023
Viewed by 638
Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO), as a novel carbon-based nanomaterial (CBN), has been widely applied to every respect of social life due to its unique composite properties. The widespread use of GO inevitably promotes its interaction with heavy metal cadmium (Cd), and influences its functional [...] Read more.
Graphene oxide (GO), as a novel carbon-based nanomaterial (CBN), has been widely applied to every respect of social life due to its unique composite properties. The widespread use of GO inevitably promotes its interaction with heavy metal cadmium (Cd), and influences its functional behavior. However, little information is available on the effects of GO on greening hyperaccumulators under co-occurring Cd. In this study, we chose a typical greening hyperaccumulator (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) to show the effect of GO on Cd accumulation, growth, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), carbon sequestration and oxygen release functions of the plant under Cd stress. The different GO-Cd treatments were set up by (0, 10, 50 and 100 mg L−1) GO and (0, 5 and 25 mg L−1) Cd in solution culture. The maximum rate of Cd accumulation in the roots and shoots of the plant were increased by 10 mg L−1 GO (exposed to 5 mg L−1 Cd), indicating that low-concentration GO (10 mg L−1) combined with low-concentration Cd (5 mg L−1) might stimulate the absorption of Cd by L. japonica. Under GO treatments without Cd, the dry weight of root and shoot biomass, Pn value, carbon sequestration per unit leaf area and oxygen release per unit leaf area all increased in various degrees, especially under 10 mg L−1 GO, were 20.67%, 12.04%, 35% and 28.73% higher than the control. Under GO-Cd treatments, it is observed that the cooperation of low-concentration GO (10 mg L−1) and low-concentration Cd (5 mg L−1) could significantly stimulate Cd accumulation, growth, photosynthesis, carbon sequestration and oxygen release functions of the plant. These results indicated that suitable concentrations of GO could significantly alleviate the effects of Cd on L. japonica, which is helpful for expanding the phytoremediation application of greening hyperaccumulators faced with coexistence with environment of nanomaterials and heavy metals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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12 pages, 915 KiB  
Article
The Potential of Myrtaceae Species for the Phytomanagement of Treated Municipal Wastewater
by Alexandra Meister, María Jesús Gutiérrez-Ginés, Hamish Lowe and Brett Robinson
Plants 2023, 12(15), 2844; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152844 - 01 Aug 2023
Viewed by 630
Abstract
The use of native plants in land application systems for treated municipal wastewater (TMW) can contribute to ecological restoration. However, research on the potential of native species to manage the nutrients and contaminants contained in TMW is scarce. At a 10-hectare field site [...] Read more.
The use of native plants in land application systems for treated municipal wastewater (TMW) can contribute to ecological restoration. However, research on the potential of native species to manage the nutrients and contaminants contained in TMW is scarce. At a 10-hectare field site irrigated with TMW at >4000 mm yr−1, we investigated the distribution of nutrients and trace elements in the soil–plant system, comparing the New Zealand native Myrtaceae species Leptosperum scoparium and Kunzea robusta with pasture. The results showed that plant growth did not correlate with TMW irrigation rates. L. scoparium and K. robusta had higher foliar trace element concentrations than pasture, but these were not correlated with TMW irrigation rates. The pasture accumulated more N and P (68 kg of N ha−1 yr−1 and 11 kg of P ha−1 yr−1) than the Myrtaceae species (0.6–17 kg of N ha−1 yr−1 and 0.06–1.8 kg of P ha−1 yr−1). Regular harvesting of the pasture would likely remove more N and P from the site than the Myrtaceae species. The results highlight the importance of adjusting TMW application rates to the soil–plant capacity, in which case, native plants could provide ecological or economic value to TMW-irrigated land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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15 pages, 1575 KiB  
Article
Importance of Application Rates of Compost and Biochar on Soil Metal(Loid) Immobilization and Plant Growth
by Sayyeda Hira Hassan, Yassine Chafik, Marta Sena-Velez, Manhattan Lebrun, Gabriella Stefania Scippa, Sylvain Bourgerie, Dalila Trupiano and Domenico Morabito
Plants 2023, 12(11), 2077; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112077 - 23 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1541
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effect of different rates of compost (20%, 40%, 60% w/w) in combination with biochar (0%, 2%, 6% w/w) on soil physiochemical properties and the mobility of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb), [...] Read more.
In this study, we investigated the effect of different rates of compost (20%, 40%, 60% w/w) in combination with biochar (0%, 2%, 6% w/w) on soil physiochemical properties and the mobility of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb), in addition to the ability of Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia-0) to grow and accumulate metal(loid)s. All modalities improved pH and electrical conductivity, stabilized Pb and mobilized As, but only the mixture of 20% compost and 6% biochar improved plant growth. Plants in all modalities showed a significant reduction in root and shoot Pb concentrations compared to the non-amended technosol. In contrast, As shoot concentration was significantly lower for plants in all modalities (except with 20% compost only) compared to non-amended technosol. For root As, plants in all modalities showed a significant reduction except for the mixture of 20% compost and 6% biochar. Overall, our results indicate that the mixture of 20% compost with 6% biochar emerged as the optimum combination for improving plant growth and As uptake, making it the possible optimum combination for enhancing the efficiency of land reclamation strategies. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the long-term effects and potential applications of the compost-biochar combination in improving soil quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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23 pages, 1225 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Heavy Metal Accumulation on Some Physiological Parameters in Silphium perfoliatum L. Plants Grown in Hydroponic Systems
by Radu Liviu Sumalan, Vlad Nescu, Adina Berbecea, Renata Maria Sumalan, Manuela Crisan, Petru Negrea and Sorin Ciulca
Plants 2023, 12(8), 1718; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12081718 - 20 Apr 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2286
Abstract
Heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), resulting from anthropogenic activities, are elements with high persistence in nature, being able to accumulate in soils, water, and plants with significant impact to human and animal health. This study investigates [...] Read more.
Heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), resulting from anthropogenic activities, are elements with high persistence in nature, being able to accumulate in soils, water, and plants with significant impact to human and animal health. This study investigates the phytoremediation capacity of Silphium perfoliatum L. as a specific heavy metal hyperaccumulator and the effects of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb on some physiological and biochemical indices by growing plants under floating hydroponic systems in nutrient solutions under the presence of heavy metals. One-year-old plants of S. perfoliatum grown for 20 days in Hoagland solution with the addition of (ppm) Cu-400, Zn-1200, Cd-20, Pb-400, and Cu+Zn+Cd+Pb (400/1200/20/400) were investigated with respect to the control. The level of phytoremediation, manifested by the ability of heavy metal absorption and accumulation, was assessed. In addition, the impact of stress on the proline content, photosynthetic pigments, and enzymatic activity, as being key components of metabolism, was determined. The obtained results revealed a good absorption and selective accumulation capacity of S. perfoliatum plants for the studied heavy metals. Therefore, Cu and Zn mainly accumulate in the stems, Cd in the roots and stems, while Pb mainly accumulates in the roots. The proline tended to increase under stress conditions, depending on the pollutant and its concentration, with higher values in leaves and stems under the associated stress of the four metals and individually for Pb and Cd. In addition, the enzymatic activity recorded different values depending on the plant organ, its type, and the metal concentration on its substrate. The obtained results indicate a strong correlation between the metal type, concentration, and the mechanisms of absorption/accumulation of S. perfoliatum species, as well as the specific reactions of metabolic response. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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25 pages, 1647 KiB  
Article
Phytoremediation Potential of Native Plant Species in Mine Soils Polluted by Metal(loid)s and Rare Earth Elements
by Mitra Azizi, Angel Faz, Raul Zornoza, Silvia Martinez-Martinez and Jose A. Acosta
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1219; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061219 - 07 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2545
Abstract
Mining activity has an adverse impact on the surrounding ecosystem, especially via the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs); therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient technologies to remediate these ecosystems, especially soils. Phytoremediation can be potentially used to remediate contaminated [...] Read more.
Mining activity has an adverse impact on the surrounding ecosystem, especially via the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs); therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient technologies to remediate these ecosystems, especially soils. Phytoremediation can be potentially used to remediate contaminated areas by potentially toxic elements. However, in soils affected by polymetallic contamination, including metals, metalloids, and rare earth elements (REEs), it is necessary to evaluate the behavior of these toxic elements in the soil-plant system, which will allow the selection of the most appropriate native plants with phytoremediation potential to be used in phytoremediation programs. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of contamination of 29 metal(loid)s and REEs in two natural soils and four native plant species (Salsola oppositifolia, Stipa tenacissima, Piptatherum miliaceum, and Artemisia herba-alba) growing in the vicinity of a Pb-(Ag)-Zn mine and asses their phytoextraction and phytostabilization potential. The results indicated that very high soil contamination was found for Zn, Fe, Al, Pb, Cd, As, Se, and Th, considerable to moderate contamination for Cu, Sb, Cs, Ge Ni, Cr, and Co, and low contamination for Rb, V, Sr, Zr, Sn, Y, Bi and U in the study area, dependent of sampling place. Available fraction of PTEs and REEs in comparison to total concentration showed a wide range from 0% for Sn to more than 10% for Pb, Cd, and Mn. Soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, and clay content affect the total, available, and water-soluble concentrations of different PTEs and REEs. The results obtained from plant analysis showed that the concentration of PTEs in shoots could be at a toxicity level (Zn, Pb, and Cr), lower than toxic but more than sufficient or natural concentration accepted in plants (Cd, Ni, and Cu) or at an acceptable level (e.g., V, As, Co, and Mn). Accumulation of PTEs and REEs in plants and the translocation from root to shoot varied between plant species and sampling soils. A. herba-alba is the least efficient plant in the phytoremediation process; P. miliaceum was a good candidate for phytostabilization of Pb, Cd, Cu, V, and As, and S. oppositifolia for phytoextraction of Zn, Cd, Mn, and Mo. All plant species except A. herba-alba could be potential candidates for phytostabilization of REEs, while none of the plant species has the potential to be used in the phytoextraction of REEs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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9 pages, 2183 KiB  
Communication
Temperature Dependence of Metals Accumulation and Removal Kinetics by Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera
by Hiroshi Kudo, Zhaojie Qian, Chihiro Inoue and Mei-Fang Chien
Plants 2023, 12(4), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040877 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1118
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd), which is present in zinc (Zn) ore, is a toxic metal and causes contamination globally. Phytoremediation is a promising technology for the remediation of sites with low and moderate contamination. Temperature is an important factor in phytoremediation because it has an [...] Read more.
Cadmium (Cd), which is present in zinc (Zn) ore, is a toxic metal and causes contamination globally. Phytoremediation is a promising technology for the remediation of sites with low and moderate contamination. Temperature is an important factor in phytoremediation because it has an impact on both plant biomass and the accumulation of heavy metals. However, little is known about the influence of temperature on heavy metal accumulation by the Cd and Zn hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera. The effect of temperature on the distribution of Cd and Zn in A. halleri ssp. gemmifera and the mechanism of metal removal from solution were investigated in this study. Our results showed that the temperature dependence of the distribution of Cd and Zn in the plant was different, which may suggest that the mechanisms of xylem loading were different between Cd and Zn. Although Cd and Zn have partially similar transport pathways, the removal kinetics based on the first-order reaction rate constant revealed that the temperature which maximized rate of absorption was different between Cd and Zn. This study suggests a potential for efficient Cd phytoextraction using A. halleri ssp gemmifera in Cd and Zn co-existing environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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14 pages, 2257 KiB  
Article
Biostimulation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Using Organic and Inorganic Amendments
by Ogochukwu A. Udume, Gideon O. Abu, Herbert O. Stanley, Ijeoma F. Vincent-Akpu, Yusuf Momoh and Michael O. Eze
Plants 2023, 12(3), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030431 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
The most common approaches for the in-situ bioremediation of contaminated sites worldwide are bioaugmentation and biostimulation. Biostimulation has often proved more effective for chronically contaminated sites. This study examined the effectiveness of optimized water hyacinth compost in comparison with other organic and inorganic [...] Read more.
The most common approaches for the in-situ bioremediation of contaminated sites worldwide are bioaugmentation and biostimulation. Biostimulation has often proved more effective for chronically contaminated sites. This study examined the effectiveness of optimized water hyacinth compost in comparison with other organic and inorganic amendments for the remediation of crude oil-polluted soils. Water hyacinth was found to be rich in nutrients necessary to stimulate microbial growth and activity. An organic geochemical analysis revealed that all amendments in this study increased total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) biodegradation by ≥75% within 56 days, with the greatest biodegradation (93%) occurring in sterilized soil inoculated with optimized water hyacinth compost. This was followed by polluted soil amended with a combination of spent mushroom and water hyacinth composts (SMC + WH), which recorded a TPH biodegradation of 89%. Soil amendment using the inorganic fertilizer NPK (20:10:10) resulted in 86% TPH biodegradation. On the other hand, control samples (natural attenuation) recorded only 4% degradation. A molecular analysis of residual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed that the 16 PAHs designated by the US EPA as priority pollutants were either completely or highly degraded in the combined treatment (SMC + WH), indicating the potential of this amendment for the environmental remediation of soils contaminated with recalcitrant organic pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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19 pages, 3663 KiB  
Article
Quercus ilex Phyllosphere Microbiome Environmental-Driven Structure and Composition Shifts in a Mediterranean Contex
by Alessia Postiglione, Antonello Prigioniero, Daniela Zuzolo, Maria Tartaglia, Pierpaolo Scarano, Maria Maisto, Maria Antonietta Ranauda, Rosaria Sciarrillo, Sofie Thijs, Jaco Vangronsveld and Carmine Guarino
Plants 2022, 11(24), 3528; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243528 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1674
Abstract
The intra- and interdomain phyllosphere microbiome features of Quercus ilex L. in a Mediterranean context is reported. We hypothesized that the main driver of the phyllosphere microbiome might be the season and that atmospheric pollutants might have a co-effect. Hence, we investigated the [...] Read more.
The intra- and interdomain phyllosphere microbiome features of Quercus ilex L. in a Mediterranean context is reported. We hypothesized that the main driver of the phyllosphere microbiome might be the season and that atmospheric pollutants might have a co-effect. Hence, we investigated the composition of epiphytic bacteria and fungi of leaves sampled in urban and natural areas (in Southern Italy) in summer and winter, using microscopy and metagenomic analysis. To assess possible co-effects on the composition of the phyllosphere microbiome, concentrations of particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined from sampled leaves. We found that environmental factors had a significative influence on the phyllosphere biodiversity, altering the taxa relative abundances. Ascomycota and Firmicutes were higher in summer and in urban areas, whereas a significant increase in Proteobacteria was observed in the winter season, with higher abundance in natural areas. Network analysis suggested that OTUs belonging to Acidobacteria, Cytophagia, unkn. Firmicutes(p), Actinobacteria are keystone of the Q. ilex phyllosphere microbiome. In addition, 83 genes coding for 5 enzymes involved in PAH degradation pathways were identified. Given that the phyllosphere microbiome can be considered an extension of the ecosystem services offered by trees, our results can be exploited in the framework of Next-Generation Biomonitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

19 pages, 377 KiB  
Review
In Vitro Culture Studies for the Mitigation of Heavy Metal Stress in Plants
by Doaa Elazab, Maurizio Lambardi and Maurizio Capuana
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3387; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193387 - 25 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1043
Abstract
Heavy metals are among the most common and dangerous contaminants; their action on plants, as well as the possibility for plants to effectively absorb and translocate them, have been studied for several years, mainly for exploitation in phytoremediation, an environmentally friendly and potentially [...] Read more.
Heavy metals are among the most common and dangerous contaminants; their action on plants, as well as the possibility for plants to effectively absorb and translocate them, have been studied for several years, mainly for exploitation in phytoremediation, an environmentally friendly and potentially effective technology proposed and studied for the recovery of contaminated soils and waters. In this work, the analysis has focused on the studies developed using in vitro techniques on the possibilities of mitigating, in plants, the stress due to the presence of heavy metals and/or improving their absorption. These objectives can be pursued with the use of different substances and organisms, which have been examined in detail. The following are therefore presented in this review: an analysis of the role of metals and metalloids; the use of several plant growth regulators, with their mechanisms of action in different physiological phases of the plant; the activity of bacteria and fungi; and the role of other effective compounds, such as ascorbic acid and glutathione. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
22 pages, 2509 KiB  
Review
Phytoremediation of Potentially Toxic Elements: Role, Status and Concerns
by Zishan Ahmad Wani, Zeeshan Ahmad, Mohd Asgher, Jahangeer A. Bhat, Manju Sharma, Ashish Kumar, Virbala Sharma, Amit Kumar, Shreekar Pant, Alexander S. Lukatkin and Naser A. Anjum
Plants 2023, 12(3), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030429 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2971
Abstract
Environmental contamination with a myriad of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is triggered by various natural and anthropogenic activities. However, the industrial revolution has increased the intensity of these hazardous elements and their concentration in the environment, which, in turn, could provoke potential ecological [...] Read more.
Environmental contamination with a myriad of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is triggered by various natural and anthropogenic activities. However, the industrial revolution has increased the intensity of these hazardous elements and their concentration in the environment, which, in turn, could provoke potential ecological risks. Additionally, most PTEs pose a considerable nuisance to human beings and affect soil, aquatic organisms, and even nematodes and microbes. This comprehensive review aims to: (i) introduce potentially toxic elements; (ii) overview the major sources of PTEs in the major environmental compartments; (iii) briefly highlight the major impacts of PTEs on humans, plants, aquatic life, and the health of soil; (iv) appraise the major methods for tackling PTE-caused pollution; (v) discuss the concept and applications of the major eco-technological/green approaches (comprising phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, phytovolatilization, and phytorestoration); (vi) highlight the role of microbes in phytoremediation under PTE stress; and (vii) enlighten the major role of genetic engineering in advancing the phytoremediation of varied PTEs. Overall, appropriate strategies must be developed in order to stop gene flow into wild species, and biosafety issues must be properly addressed. Additionally, consistent efforts should be undertaken to tackle the major issues (e.g., risk estimation, understanding, acceptance and feasibility) in order to guarantee the successful implementation of phytoremediation programs, raise awareness of this green technology among laymen, and to strengthen networking among scientists, stakeholders, industrialists, governments and non-government organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants)
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