Phytochelatins Are Bioindicators of Atmospheric Metal Exposure via Direct Foliar Uptake in Trees near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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• 作者：James E. Gawel ; Charles G. Trick ; and Franç ; ois M. M. Morel
• 刊名：Environmental Science & Technology
• 出版年：2001
• 出版时间：May 15, 2001
• 年：2001
• 卷：35
• 期：10
• 页码：2108 - 2113
• 全文大小：82K
• 年卷期：v.35,no.10(May 15, 2001)
• ISSN：1520-5851

文摘

Plants produce phytochelatins in response to copper andnickel, the primary metal pollutants emitted by thedominant smelting operation in Sudbury. Copper andnickel concentrations in soils decline sharply with distancefrom this facility, primarily as a result of early smeltingpractices. Phytochelatin concentrations in Sudbury-areatrees, however, do not correlate with metal levels in soils.Rather, phytochelatin production in tree leaves is drivenby metals currently released to the atmosphere through the381 m emissions stack. Phytochelatin concentrations inthe foliage of three tree species growing in situ are highest20-30 km from the stack, correlated with maximum acid-leachable concentrations of deposited copper andnickel. Similar results observed in potted trees placedadjacent to indigenous trees confirm that aerially depositedmetals are the source of current metal stress patterns.The addition of peat moss "filters" to potted soils did notalter this response, indicating that direct foliar metaluptake is responsible.