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Hyperaccumulators of metal and metalloid trace elements: Facts and fiction

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Abstract

Background

Plants that accumulate metal and metalloid trace elements to extraordinarily high concentrations in their living biomass have inspired much research worldwide during the last decades. Hyperaccumulators have been recorded and experimentally confirmed for elements such as nickel, zinc, cadmium, manganese, arsenic and selenium. However, to date, hyperaccumulation of lead, copper, cobalt, chromium and thallium remain largely unconfirmed. Recent uses of the term in relation to rare-earth elements require critical evaluation.

Scope

Since the mid-1970s the term ‘hyperaccumulator’ has been used millions of times by thousands of people, with varying degrees of precision, aptness and understanding that have not always corresponded with the views of the originators of the terminology and of the present authors. There is therefore a need to clarify the circumstances in which the term ‘hyperaccumulator’ is appropriate and to set out the conditions that should be met when the terms are used. We outline here the main considerations for establishing metal or metalloid hyperaccumulation status of plants, (re)define some of the terminology and note potential pitfalls.

Conclusions

Unambiguous communication will require the international scientific community to adopt standard terminology and methods for confirming the reliability of analytical data in relation to metal and metalloid hyperaccumulators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Antony van der Ent

  2. School of Botany, The University of Melbourne and Centre for Contaminant Geoscience, Environmental Earth Sciences International Pty Ltd, North Sydney, Australia

    Alan J. M. Baker

  3. Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Roger D. Reeves

  4. Department of Biology, Furman University, Greenville, SC, USA

    A. Joseph Pollard

  5. Department of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Henk Schat

  6. CMLR, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia

    Antony van der Ent

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  1. Antony van der Ent
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  2. Alan J. M. Baker
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  3. Roger D. Reeves
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  4. A. Joseph Pollard
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  5. Henk Schat
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Correspondence to Antony van der Ent.

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Responsible Editor: Fangjie Zhao.

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van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Reeves, R.D. et al. Hyperaccumulators of metal and metalloid trace elements: Facts and fiction. Plant Soil 362, 319–334 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1287-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1287-3

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