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Individual and Joint Toxicity Effects of Cu, Cr(III), and Cr(VI) on Pakchoi: A Comparison Between Solution and Soil Cultures

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Abstract

The single and joint toxicity effects of Cu, Cr(III), and Cr(VI) on the root elongation of pakchoi in solution and soil were investigated. The median effective concentration (EC50) was determined to examine the toxic thresholds of the test elements. The results showed that individual contamination by Cu, Cr(III), or Cr(VI) can inhibit the root elongation of pakchoi. The EC50 values of the test elements were 2.02 mg/L and 195.8 mg/kg, 62.2 mg/L and 1,773 mg/kg, and 6.88 mg/L and 8.08 mg/kg in solution and soil, respectively. Toxic unit (TU) was introduced to determine the outcome in combined tests, and different behaviors were observed in both solution and soil. The coexistence of Cu and Cr(III) in solution exhibited an antagonistic effect (EC50mix = 1.76 TUmix), whereas a synergistic effect was observed in soil (EC50mix = 0.76 TUmix). In contrast, combined Cu–Cr(VI) showed a less than additive toxicity both in solution and soil, with EC50mix values of 3.31 and 1.24 TUmix. In conclusion, the coexistence of toxicity in Cu–Cr(III) and Cu–Cr(VI) differs from the toxicity exhibited individually by Cu, Cr(III), and Cr(VI). Heavy metal interaction also changes depending on the medium.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to Huang XY and Ding XY for their help during experimental setup, for Dr. Ma YB for his valuable comment on the manuscript. This study was supported by the National Department Public Benefit (Agriculture) Research Foundation (no. 2009030150–05) and the Innovative Research Team Program of Northwest A&F University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China

    Dan Wang, Dongli Liang, Songshan Wang, Bin Hu & Wei Wei

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  1. Dan Wang
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  2. Dongli Liang
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  5. Wei Wei
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Correspondence to Dongli Liang.

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Wang, D., Liang, D., Wang, S. et al. Individual and Joint Toxicity Effects of Cu, Cr(III), and Cr(VI) on Pakchoi: A Comparison Between Solution and Soil Cultures. Biol Trace Elem Res 146, 116–123 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9219-2

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