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Nitrogen fertilizer enhances zinc and cadmium uptake by hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance

  • Soils, Sec 3 • Remediation and Management of Contaminated or Degraded Lands • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Nitrogen (N) fertilization is known to have a substantial effect on heavy metal uptake in plants. However, the impact of N fertilization on plant growth and heavy metal uptake of hyperaccumulator plants remains unclear. This study examined the effect of N fertilization on growth and uptake of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in Zn/Cd-hyperaccumulating plants species, Sedum alfredii (S. alfredii) Hance (Crassulaceae).

Materials and methods

Plants of S. alfredii were grown for 60 days in nutrient solution with 100 μmol Cd L−1 and 0–10 mmol N L−1, and in a Cd-contaminated soil receiving N fertilizer and composted pig manure amendment. Biomass production, nutrient uptake, and concentrations and accumulation of Zn and Cd in plant parts were measured.

Results and discussion

In the hydroponic experiment, both low (< 1 mmol L−1) and high (> 5 mmol L−1) N supply decreased the growth and Zn and Cd accumulation in the whole plants. The 2.5 mmol N L−1 is an optimal N dosage for shoot biomass production and Zn accumulation in shoots, while the 1.0 mmol N L−1 is an optimal N dosage for Cd accumulation in shoots, which was 68.1% higher than the control. The N doses of 1 to 2.5 mmol L−1 N represented optimal conditions for Zn and Cd accumulation in the shoots of S. alfredii seedlings. In the soil pot experiment, shoot dry weight decreased with increasing N fertilization rate, while composted pig manure decreased biomass production. Both Zn and Cd accumulation in the shoots of S. alfredii decreased along with the addition of higher N fertilization rate. However, the composted pig manure amendment increased the accumulation of Zn, but not Cd in the shoots.

Conclusions

The application of N at appropriate amount enhanced the phytoremediation efficiency by S. alfredii in Zn/Cd-polluted fields, but the effectiveness of phytoextraction technology needs to be validated in the field trials.

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Funding

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (31670617, 21577131), the National Key Research and Development Project (2017YFD0801302), the Key Research and Development Project of Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Province (2018C03028), and Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, China (2017A030311019), supported this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbon Cycling in Forest Ecosystems and Carbon Sequestration, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin’an, 311300, China

    Ziwen Lin, Chunying Dou, Yongfu Li, Shaobo Zhang, Dan Liu, Keli Zhao, Weijun Fu, Yongchun Li & Zhengqian Ye

  2. Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China

    Ziwen Lin, Chunying Dou, Yongfu Li, Dan Liu, Keli Zhao & Zhengqian Ye

  3. Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center of Guangdong Province, School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528000, China

    Hailong Wang

  4. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Nabeel Khan Niazi

  5. School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, 4350, Australia

    Nabeel Khan Niazi

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  1. Ziwen Lin
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  2. Chunying Dou
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  3. Yongfu Li
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  5. Nabeel Khan Niazi
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  6. Shaobo Zhang
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  7. Dan Liu
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  8. Keli Zhao
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  9. Weijun Fu
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  10. Yongchun Li
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  11. Zhengqian Ye
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Correspondence to Yongfu Li or Zhengqian Ye.

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Lin, Z., Dou, C., Li, Y. et al. Nitrogen fertilizer enhances zinc and cadmium uptake by hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance. J Soils Sediments 20, 320–329 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-019-02405-4

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