Volume 19(1), 126- 129, 2015
JOURNAL of Horticulture, Forestry and Biotechnology
www.journal-hfb.usab-tm.ro
Researches regarding rubidium content in soil and plants
using analysis by atomic fluorescence X-ray
Alda S.1*, Alda Liana Maria1, Cristea T.1, Gogoasa I.1, Negrea P.2, Danci M.1, Gergen I.1
1
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Banat "King Mihai I of Romania" Timisoara;
”Politehnica University” -Timisoara, Romania
2
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Abstract
The increased concern for reduction of environmental pollution
has stimulated continuing research on the toxicology of heavy metals. The
content of rubidium in soils is largely inherited from the parent rock, as is
indicated by the highest mean Rb contents 100 to 120 ppm, in soils over
granites and in alluvial soils. Rb apparently is easily taken up by plants, as
are other monovalent cations. The aim of this study was to determine
rubidium uptake in Agropyron repens and Cirsium arvense, in a polluted area,
using analysis by atomic fluorescence X-ray. This is a modern method of
determination of mineral elements, for environmental samples, geological,
biological (solid and liquid) without processing. Our results regarding rubidium
contents in soil and sudied plants are higher than those obtained by other
researchers. Agropyron repens and Cirsium arvense, accumulated rubidium
in their tissues diferently. The preliminary results can be used as informative
data that they will be confirmed by further analysis by absorption atomic
spectrometry method (FAAS), an specific method for determining such
elements.
The increased concern for reduction of
environmental pollution has stimulated continuing
research on the toxicology of heavy metals.
The rubidium content in soils is largely
inherited from the parent rock, as is indicated by the
highest mean Rb contents 100 to 120 ppm, in soils over
granites and in alluvial soils. Rb apparently is easily
taken up by plants, as are other monovalent cations.
Most of the higher plant species analyzed by the
researchers contained Rb in the range of 20 to 70 ppm
(DW), Alfalfa (98 ppm) and Grass (130 ppm).
Rubidium has no known biological role and is
non-toxic. However, because of its chemical similarity
to potassium we absorb it from our food, and the
average person has stores of about half a gram. It is
slightly radioactive and so has been used to locate
brain tumours, as it collects in tumours but not in
normal tissue [2,3,4,9,13,14].
Phytoremediation consists of mitigating
pollutant concentrations in contaminated soils, water,
or air, with plants able to contain, degrade, or eliminate
metals, pesticides, solvents. Bioaccumulation factor
and translocation factor can be used to give a clue on
the suitability of the plant in question in
phytoremediation. This is because phytoremediation
technology uses the potential of heavy metal
bioaccumulation of plants to clean up heavy metal
polluted areas. The possibility of “phytoremediation” is
suggested to reduce the radionuclides in soil [1,15].
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Key words
atomic fluorescence X –ray,
rubidium, soil, Agropyron
repens, Cirsium arvense,
polluted area
Cirsium arvense is a weed known for high capacity of
storage of heavy metals [12].
The aim of this
study was to determine rubidium uptake in Agropyron
repens and Cirsium arvense, in a polluted area, using
analysis by atomic fluorescence X-ray.
In order to exploit the natural potential of
Agropyron repens and Cirsium arvense in
accumulating of rubidium and depleting the soil
radioactivity, seven samples of each plant species were
tested under laboratory conditions.
Cirsium arvense is considered a “problemweed” that can be met again, year after year, in all the
Romania’s regions, covering almost 65.00% of the
cereal crops. In Romania, Cirsium arvense can be
found in almost all the crops, being considered one of
the most damaging weeds existent in our country.
Agropyron repens (Couch grass) is a plant of
wild flora, the family Gramineae, widespread in
Europe and Asia. In Romania grows on cultivated land
and fallow, sandy or clay soils in meadows, grasslands,
arid coast, roadsides and forests, from plains to the
mountain area [7,10].
Analysis by atomic fluorescence X-ray is a
modern method of determination of mineral elements,
for environmental samples, geological, biological
(solid and liquid), without processing.
The soil and plants samples were taking from a
industrial area: Tarnaveni (Mures County, Romania)Figure 1.
Material and Methods
Fig. 1.Tarnaveni area
(Photo: Alda Simion)
Seven location area were taken into our study.
From each sampling site we took soil and plants
samples.
The samples soil pH values ranged between
7,61-8,03.
The soil samples collected from the 0-40 cm
depth were air dried, crushed, passed through a 2 mm
mesh sieve and stored at ambient temperature for
analysis.
All the collected samples of plants were
washed with double distilled water to remove airborne
and soil pollutants.
After washing, plants samples were oven dried
at 80°C to constant weight.
The soil and whole plant samples were ground
and packed in polyethylene bags of 10 grams.
We used analyzer spectral fluorescence ray X
(FRX), model NITON XL3t GOLD +, with basic
features: tube miniaturized X-ray, anode silver, X-ray
detector SDD-type Si, NDT specific software package
operating systems.
Measurements were carried out by applying
the measurement window of the device directly on the
surface of the polyethylene bags of samples.
The levels of the mineral elements analyzed,
expressed as ppm (mg/kg dry matter). were read
directly from the screen of the device.
The transfer factors were calculated using
formula: TF = concentration of metal in edible
part/concentration of metal in soil [5].
Results and Discussions
The experimental data obtained for the
rubidium detected by using atomic fluorescence X-ray
are shown in Figure 2.
The tested plants accumulated rubidium in
their tissues differently.
127
Rubidium contents(ppm)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Site 1
Site2
Site3
Soil
Site4
Site5
Cirsium arvense
Site6
Site7
Agropyron repens
Fig. 2. Rubidium contents in soil and plants samples (ppm)
In figure 3 are presented the transfer factors values for Cirsium arvense and Agropyron repens regarding rubidium
uptake.
0,25
0,2
0,15
0,1
0,05
0
Site1
Site2
Site3
Site4
Cirsium arvense
Site5
Site6
Site7
Agropyron repens
Fig. 3. Transfer factor values
Conclusions
The experimental data obtained for the rubidium are
higher than those obtained by other researchers [8],
maybe the differences are due to the different
environment conditions and the different analysis
method.
128
Our results confirm the fact that Cirsium arvense
possessed the characteristics of accumulator of heavy
metal.
We must consider that in studied area, plants leaf
pollution can be caused by heavy metal dust reaching
the surface foliar brought by air currents.
The preliminary results can be used as informative data
that they will be confirmed by further analysis by
atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), an specific
method for determining such elements.
Acknowledgments
Paper publishing was funded by the project "Teaching
staff in pre-university education and the public
university - promoter of lifelong learning,"
POSDRU/174/1.3/S/149155”, co-financed by the
European Social Fund through the Sectorial
Operational Program for the Human Resources
Development 2007–2013.
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