Zinc and cadmium uptake by hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens grown in nutrient solution

Abstract

Phytoremediation of heavy-metal contaminated soils can be inexpensive means to remove hazardous metals from soil. Two metallophytes, Thlaspi caerulescens and a Zn-tolerant ecotype of bladder campion were compared with tomato in nutrient solution to characterize Zn and Cd uptake and tolerance. Thlaspi caerulescens showed much greater tolerance to Zn/Cd treatments than the other species, with toxicity stress only apparent at 10,000 μM Zn/200 μM Cd treatment. It was also more effective at translocating both Zn and Cd from solution shoots. The results suggest that T. caerulescens may be a candidate for the phytoremediation of Zn contaminated soils.