Effects of Combined Pollution of Pb and Cd on Growth and Yield of Rice

[Objective] The aim was to study the damage and the mechanism of combined pollution of Pb and Cd on rice growth,yield and quality of rice. [Method]Effects of combined pollution of Pb and Cd on the growth and yield of rice were studied by pot experiment with cultivating rice. [Result] Pb and Cd could promote rice growth at low concentration while inhibit plant height at high concentration; Pb and Cd stress reduced the number of rice tillers significantly,with the increasing of stress concentration,the decrease amplitude of the number of tillers was greater; the panicle per pot,seed setting rate,1 000-grain weight and yield of rice were reduced significantly by Pb and Cd stress,the grain number per panicle decreased significantly under low concentration of Pb and Cd but increased significantly under high concentration; the brown rice rate and milled rice rate increased significantly under low concentration of Pb and Cd while at high concentration of Pb and Cd,the both two reduced significantly,the head milled rice rate reduced significantly with the decreasing of concentration; The Pb and Cd content of grains were significantly positively related to the concentrations of Pb and Cd content in soil,it had excessively exceeded hygienic standard when the concentrations of Pb and Cd in soil were medium-high and the unqualified rate reached 333% and 122%. [Conclusion]The study had provided basis for the establishment of rice cultivation system in pollution areas.

Adsorption characteristic of bensulfuron-methyl at variable added Pb^(2+) concentrations on paddy soils

The combined pollution of heavy metal Pb^2＋ and bensulfuron-methyl （BSM）, originating from chemical herbicides, in agroecological environments has become commonplace in southern China. The adsorption of BSM on three paddy soils in the presence of Pb^2＋ was examined using high-performance liquid chromatograph （HPLC）. Results indicated that adsorption of BSM could accurately be described by a Freundlich isotherm equation with correlation constant （R） 〉 0.98, irrespective of the presence of spiked Pb^2＋. Of the various factors influencing BSM sorption, soil pH appeared to be the most influential. The constant Kf of Freundlich isotherm equation tended to increase with increasing Pb^2＋ concentration in soil which indicated that the spiked of Pb^2＋ in paddy soils would promote the sorption of BSM. AGo of BSM in three paddy soils was less than 40 kJ/mol in all treatments, indicating the adsorption of BSM is mainly physical in nature. The elution of soil dissolved organic matter （DOM） enhanced the adsorption of BSM in paddy soils. The mechanisms involved in the promotion effects of the spiked Pb^2＋ on BSM adsorption might be the modified surface characteristics of paddy soil solids due to the soil acidification and the increase of soil organic matter concentration because of DOM binding.

Effect of Amendments on Growth and Element Uptake of Pakchoi in a Cadmium, Zinc and Lead Contaminated Soil

A pot experiment was carried out to study the effects of two amendments, limeand calcium magnesium phosphate, on the growth and Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mu, Fe, N, P and K uptake ofpakchoi (Brassica chinensis) in a Cd, Pb and Zn polluted acid soil in the southern part of China.The growth of pakchoi was apparently improved by lime and calcium magnesium phosphate application,the uptake of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn by pakchoi was significantly depressed and the symptom caused byheavy metals pollution was eliminated. Meanwhile, the absorption of N, K and Mn was also inhibitedby these amendments. Soil pH was the main factor controlling the uptake of the heavy metals bypakchoi. This suggests that lime and calcium magnesium phosphate could be used as effectiveamendments for eliminating the toxicity of heavy metals to the vegetable and inhibiting theirabsorption by the crop.

Toxicity of lead pollution to the collembolan Folsomia candida in Ferri-Udic Cambosols

Toxic effect of lead(Pb) pollution on Collembola in soils has seldom been studied in depth, which is especially true for growth responses since the juveniles are very small and numerous. A single species test was conducted using the collembolan Folsomia candida as the indicator species, and soil Pb pollution(at Pb concentrations of 0, 300, 600, 1 200, 2 400, and 4 800 mg kg^(-1)) was simulated by mixing Pb(NO_(3))_(2) with a natural unpolluted soil. Adult survival, reproduction, body length, and body Pb concentration were determined. Adult survival and reproduction started to decrease at soil Pb concentrations of 1 200 and 600 mg kg^(-1), respectively. Lead concentrations in adult and juvenile bodies increased with increasing Pb concentration in soil. The percentage and individual abundances based on body length analysis showed that the larger adults(2.1–2.6 mm, P < 0.01) were more sensitive to soil Pb concentration than the intermediate(1.9–2.1 mm, P < 0.001) and smaller(1.7–1.9 mm, P < 0.001) adults. Similarly, the larger juveniles(1.0–1.4 mm, P < 0.001) were more sensitive to soil Pb concentration than the intermediate(0.6–1.0 mm, P < 0.001) and smaller(0.3–0.6 mm, P < 0.001) juveniles. For both adults or juveniles, the abundance and percentage of larger individuals declined significantly with increasing soil Pb concentration, suggesting that larger individuals were more sensitive to soil Pb pollution. Therefore, body length features, especially the percentage and abundance of larger individuals, would be potential bio-indicators of soil Pb pollution and possibly other types of soil pollution.