Cadmium Isotopic Fractionation in the Soil-Plant System during Repeated Phytoextraction with a Cadmium Hyperaccumulating Plant Species.

Analysis of stable metal isotopes can provide important information on biogeochemical processes in the soil-plant system. Here, we conducted a repeated phytoextraction experiment using the cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola X. H. Guo et S. B. Zhou ex L. H. Wu (Crassulaceae) in four different Cd-contaminated agricultural soils over five consecutive crops. Isotope composition of Cd was determined in the four soils before and after the fifth crop, in the plant shoots harvested in all soils in the first crop, and in the NH4OAc extracts of two contrasting soils with large differences in soil pH (5.73 and 7.32) and clay content (20.4 and 31.3%) before and after repeated phytoextraction. Before phytoextraction NH4OAc-extractable Cd showed a slight but significant negative isotope fractionation or no fractionation compared with total Cd (Δ114/110Cdextract-soil = -0.15 ± 0.05 (mean ± standard error) and 0.01 ± 0.01‰), and the extent of fractionation varied with soil pH and clay content. S. plumbizincicola preferentially took up heavy Cd from soils (Δ114/110Cdshoot-soil = 0.02-0.14‰), and heavy isotopes were significantly depleted in two soils after repeated phytoextraction (Δ114/110Cdsoil:P5-soil:P0 = -0.15 ± 0.02 and -0.12 ± 0.01‰). This provides evidence for the existence of specific Cd transporters in S. plumbizincicola, leading to positive isotope fractionation during uptake. After phytoextraction by five sequential crops, the NH4OAc-extractable Cd pool was significantly enriched in heavy isotopes (Δ114/110Cdextract:P5-extract:P0 = 0.07 ± 0.02 and 0.18 ± 0.05‰) despite the preferential uptake of heavy isotopes, indicating the occurrence of root-induced Cd mobilization in soils, which is supposed to favor heavy Cd in the organo-complexes with root exudates. Our results demonstrate that Cd is taken up by S. plumbizincicola via specific transporters, partly after active mobilization from the more strongly bound soil pool such as iron/manganese (hydr)oxide-bound Cd during repeated phytoextraction. This renders S. plumbizincicola a suitable plant for large-scale field phytoremediation.

Hyperaccumulator Plants from China: A Synthesis of the Current State of Knowledge.

Hyperaccumulator plants are the material basis for phytoextraction research and for practical applications in decontaminating polluted soils and industrial wastes. China's high biodiversity and substantial mineral resources make it a global hotspot for hyperaccumulator plant species. Intensive screening efforts over the past 20 years by researchers working in China have led to the discovery of many different hyperaccumulators for a range of elements. In this review, we present the state of knowledge on all currently reported hyperaccumulator species from China, including Cardamine hupingshanensis (selenium, Se), Dicranopteris dichotoma (rare earth elements, REEs), Elsholtzia splendens (copper, Cu), Phytolacca americana (manganese, Mn), Pteris vittata (arsenic, As), Sedum alfredii, and Sedum plumbizincicola (cadmium/zinc, Cd/Zn). This review covers aspects of the ecophysiology and molecular biology of tolerance and hyperaccumulation for each element. The major scientific advances resulting from the study of hyperaccumulator plants in China are summarized and synthesized.

Antibiotics Disturb the Microbiome and Increase the Incidence of Resistance Genes in the Gut of a Common Soil Collembolan.

Gut microbiota make an important contribution to host health but the effects of environmental pressures on the gut microbiota of soil fauna are largely uncharacterized. Here, we examine the effects of norfloxacin and oxytetracycline on the gut microbiome of the common soil collembolan Folsomia candida and concomitant changes in the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the gut and in growth of the collembolan. Exposure to 10 mg antibiotics kg-1 for 2 weeks significantly inhibited the growth of the collembolan with roughly a 10-fold decrease in 16S rRNA gene abundance. Antibiotics did alter the composition and structure of the collembolan gut microbiome and decreased the diversity of the gut bacteria. A decline in the firmicutes/bacteroidetes ratio in the antibiotic-treated collembolans may be responsible for the decrease in body weight. Exposure to antibiotics significantly increased the diversity and abundance of ARGs in the collembolan gut. The Mantel test and Procrustes analysis both reveal that ARGs and gut microbiota were significantly correlated with one another ( P < 0.05). These results indicate that antibiotics may induce a shift in the gut microbiota of nontarget organisms such as soil collembolans and thereby affect their growth and enrichment of ARGs.

Scheme for Achieving a Topological Photonic Crystal by Using Dielectric Material.

We derive in the present work topological photonic states purely based on conventional dielectric material by deforming a honeycomb lattice of cylinders into a triangular lattice of cylinder hexagons. The photonic topology is associated with a pseudo-time-reversal (TR) symmetry constituted by the TR symmetry supported in general by Maxwell equations and the C_{6} crystal symmetry upon design, which renders the Kramers doubling in the present photonic system. It is shown explicitly for the transverse magnetic mode that the role of pseudospin is played by the angular momentum of the wave function of the out-of-plane electric field. We solve Maxwell equations and demonstrate the new photonic topology by revealing pseudospin-resolved Berry curvatures of photonic bands and helical edge states characterized by Poynting vectors.

New scheme for braiding Majorana fermions.

Non-Abelian statistics can be achieved by exchanging two vortices in topological superconductors with each grabbing a Majorana fermion (MF) as zero-energy quasi-particle at the cores. However, in experiments it is difficult to manipulate vortices. In the present work, we propose a way to braid MFs without moving vortices. The only operation required in the present scheme is to turn on and off local gate voltages, which liberates a MF from its original host vortex and transports it along the prepared track. We solve the time-dependent Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation numerically, and confirm that the MFs are protected provided the switching of gate voltages for exchanging MFs are adiabatic, which takes only several nano seconds given reasonable material parameters. By monitoring the time evolution of MF wave-functions, we show that non-Abelian statistics is achieved.

[Effects of Different Control Measures on Cadmium and Lead Accumulation and Quality in Lettuce].

To explore the safe utilization technology of farmland polluted by the heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) and to realize the safe production of agricultural products, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of two soil passivators and five foliar inhibitors on Cd and Cd-accumulation and quality of lettuce with low Pb and Cd accumulation (KCW). The results showed that different control measures had different effects on the soil pH value of lettuce, and the application of 45 g·m-2biochar-based passivator had the most significant difference in improving the soil pH value, which was increased by 0.8 units compared with that in CK. By using 72 g·m-2 of humic acid passivator yielded notable difference in reducing the soil pH value of lettuce. A reduction of 0.25 units was achieved compared with that in CK. Among all the control measures, the application of 45 g·m-2 biocharcoal-based passivation agent had the best effect on reducing soil available Cd content, which was significantly reduced by 53% compared with that in CK, and the application of 135 g·m-2biocharcoal-based passivation agent had the best effect on reducing soil available Pb content, which was significantly reduced by 64% compared with that in CK. Spraying 0.8% FAK-Zn foliar inhibitor not only had the best control effect on reducing Cd and Pb contents in the edible parts of lettuce, which were significantly reduced by 77% and 60%, respectively, compared with that in CK, but it also significantly reduced Cd and Pb enrichment coefficients and transport coefficients from the root to the edible parts of the lettuce. Different control measures had different effects on the nutritional quality of lettuce, and 0.4% FAK-Zn foliar inhibitor had the best effect on soluble protein. The 0.6% FAK-Zn had the best effect on soluble sugar, and the 0.4% FAK-Zn inhibitor had the best effect on vitamin C content. The application of biocarbon-based passivator could effectively repair lettuce soil polluted by Cd and Pb, whereas the application of FAK-Zn leaf surface inhibitor could effectively inhibit the accumulation, absorption, and transfer of Cd and Pb in lettuce; improve the nutritional quality of lettuce; provide a theoretical basis for safe production of vegetables polluted by heavy metals; and promote the recycling of resources and environment.

Trophic predator-prey relationships promote transport of microplastics compared with the single Hypoaspis aculeifer and Folsomia candida.

Although the roles of earthworms and soil collembolans in the transport of microplastics have been studied previously, the effects of the soil biota at different trophic levels and interspecific relationships remain poorly understood. Here, we examine three soil microarthropod species to explore their effects on the transport of microplastics. The selected Folsomia candida and Hypoaspis aculeifer are extensively used model organisms, and Damaeus exspinosus is a common and abundant indigenous species in China. A model food chain (prey-collembolan and predator-mite) was structured to test the role of the predator-prey relationship in the transport of microplastics. Commercial Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles (Diameter: 80-250 µm) were selected as the test microplastics, because large amounts of PVC have persisted and accumulated in the environment. Synchronized soil microarthropods were held in plates for seven days to determine the movement of microplastics. The 5000 microplastic particles were carefully placed in the center of each plate prior to the introduction of the animals. Our results clearly show that all three microarthropod species moved and dispersed the microplastics in the plates. The 0.54%, 1.8% and 4.6% of the added microplastic particles were moved by collembolan, predatory mite and oribatid mite, respectively. Soil microarthropods (<0.2 cm) transported microplastic particles up to 9 cm. The avoidance behavior was observed in the collembolans in respect of the microplastics. The predatory -prey relationship did promote the transport of microplastics in the plates, increasing transport by 40% compared with the effects of adding single species (P < .05). Soil microarthropods commonly occur in surface soils (0-5 cm) and, due to their small body size, they can enter soil pores. Our results therefore suggest that the movement of microplastics by soil microarthropods may influence the exposure of other soil biota to microplastics and change the physical properties of soils.

Pathways of root uptake and membrane transport of Cd2+ in the zinc/cadmium hyperaccumulating plant Sedum plumbizincicola.

Uptake and membrane transport of cadmium (Cd) in roots of the hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola X.H. Guo et S.B. Zhou ex L.H. Wu was characterized by assessing the impact of various inhibitors and ion channel blockers on Cd accumulation as well as the real-time net Cd2+ flux at the roots with application of the scanning ion-selective electrode technique. The uncouplers 2,4-dinitrophenol and P-type adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor Na3 VO4 significantly limited Cd2+ uptake and transport kinetics in the root of S. plumbizincicola. These findings indicate that Cd is actively taken up into the roots. The Cd content in plant was significantly decreased with pretreatments of the Ca2+ channel blocker La3+ or Gd3+ and the K+ channel blocker tetraethylammonium, as well as in the presence of higher concentration of Ca2+ and K+ . These findings indicated that uptake of Cd2+ into the root of S. plumbizincicola proceeds through ion channels that are permeable to both Ca2+ and K+ as confirmed by the direct evidence of real-time net Cd2+ fluxes at the root surface in the treatments with ion channel inhibitors, as well as in the presence of elevated concentrations of Ca2+ and K+ . In addition, the results suggested a role for phytochelatin and protein synthesis in mediating Cd2+ uptake by S. plumbizincicola. These findings increase the understanding of Cd2+ uptake and membrane transport pathways in roots of the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator S. plumbizincicola. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1038-1046. © 2016 SETAC.

Topological Properties of Electrons in Honeycomb Lattice with Detuned Hopping Energy.

Honeycomb lattice can support electronic states exhibiting Dirac energy dispersion, with graphene as the icon. We propose to derive nontrivial topology by grouping six neighboring sites of honeycomb lattice into hexagons and enhancing the inter-hexagon hopping energies over the intra-hexagon ones. We reveal that this manipulation opens a gap in the energy dispersion and drives the system into a topological state. The nontrivial topology is characterized by the index associated with a pseudo time-reversal symmetry emerging from the C6 symmetry of the hopping texture, where the angular momentum of orbitals accommodated on the hexagonal "artificial atoms" behaves as the pseudospin. The size of topological gap is proportional to the hopping-energy difference, which can be larger than typical spin-orbit couplings by orders of magnitude and potentially renders topological electronic transports available at high temperatures.

Changes in antibiotic concentrations and antibiotic resistome during commercial composting of animal manures.

The over-use of antibiotics in animal husbandry in China and the concomitant enhanced selection of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in animal manures are of serious concern. Thermophilic composting is an effective way of reducing hazards in organic wastes. However, its effectiveness in antibiotic degradation and ARG reduction in commercial operations remains unclear. In the present study, we determined the concentrations of 15 common veterinary antibiotics and the abundances of 213 ARGs and 10 marker genes for mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in commercial composts made from cattle, poultry and swine manures in Eastern China. High concentrations of fluoroquinolones were found in the poultry and swine composts, suggesting insufficient removal of these antibiotics by commercial thermophilic composting. Total ARGs in the cattle and poultry manures were as high as 1.9 and 5.5 copies per bacterial cell, respectively. After thermophilic composting, the ARG abundance in the mature compost decreased to 9.6% and 31.7% of that in the cattle and poultry manure, respectively. However, some ARGs (e.g. aadA, aadA2, qacEΔ1, tetL) and MGE marker genes (e.g. cintI-1, intI-1 and tnpA-04) were persistent with high abundance in the composts. The antibiotics that were detected at high levels in the composts (e.g. norfloxacin and ofloxacin) might have posed a selection pressure on ARGs. MGE marker genes were found to correlate closely with ARGs at the levels of individual gene, resistance class and total abundance, suggesting that MGEs and ARGs are closely associated in their persistence in the composts under antibiotic selection. Our research shows potential disseminations of antibiotics and ARGs via compost utilization.

Diphenylarsinic acid contaminated soil remediation by titanium dioxide (P25) photocatalysis: Degradation pathway, optimization of operating parameters and effects of soil properties.

Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) is formed during the leakage of arsenic chemical weapons in sites and poses a high risk to biota. However, remediation methods for DPAA contaminated soils are rare. Here, the photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) process by nano-sized titanium dioxide (TiO2) was applied to degrade DPAA in soil. The degradation pathway was firstly studied, and arsenate was identified as the final product. Then, an orthogonal array experimental design of L9(3)(4), only 9 experiments were needed, instead of 81 experiments in a conventional one-factor-at-a-time, was used to optimize the operational parameters soil:water ratio, TiO2 dosage, irradiation time and light intensity to increase DPAA removal efficiency. Soil:water ratio was found to have a more significant effect on DPAA removal efficiency than other properties. The optimum conditions to treat 4 g soil with a DPAA concentration of 20 mg kg(-1) were found to be a 1:10 soil: water ratio, 40 mW cm(-2) light intensity, 5% TiO2 in soil, and a 3-hour irradiation time, with a removal efficiency of up to 82.7%. Furthermore, this method (except for a change in irradiation time from 3 to 1.5h) was validated in nine different soils and the removal efficiencies ranged from 57.0 to 78.6%. Removal efficiencies were found to be negatively correlated with soil electrical conductivity, organic matter content, pH and total phosphorus content. Finally, coupled with electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement, these soil properties affected the generation of OH• by TiO2 in soil slurry. This study suggests that TiO2 photocatalytic oxidation is a promising treatment for removing DPAA from soil.

Phthalate esters contamination in soils and vegetables of plastic film greenhouses of suburb Nanjing, China and the potential human health risk.

The contamination of phthalate esters (PAEs) has become a potential threat to the environment and human health because they could be easily released as plasticizers from the daily supply products, especially in polyethylene films. Concentration levels of total six PAEs, nominated as priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), were investigated in soils and vegetables from four greenhouse areas in suburbs of Nanjing, East China. Total PAEs concentration ranged from 930 ± 840 to 2,450 ± 710 µg kg(-1) (dry weight (DW)) in soil and from 790 ± 630 to 3,010 ± 2,130 µg kg(-1) in vegetables. Higher concentrations of PAEs were found in soils except in Suo Shi (SS) area and in vegetables, especially in potherb mustard and purple tsai-tai samples. Risk assessment mainly based on the exposures of soil ingestion and daily vegetable intake indicated that bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the samples from Gu Li (GL) and Hu Shu (HS) exhibited the highest hazard to children less than 6-year old. Therefore, the human health risk of the PAEs contamination in soils and vegetables should greatly be of a concern, especially for their environmental estrogen analog effects.

[Effects of intercropping Sedum plumbizincicola and Apium graceolens on the soil chemical and microbiological properties under the contamination of zinc and cadmium from sewage sludge application].

Taking the vegetable soil with zinc- and cadmium contamination from a long-term sewage sludge application as the object, a pot experiment was conducted to study the remediation effect of Sedum plumbizincicola and Apium graceolens under continuous monoculture and intercropping. With the remediation time increased, both S. plumbizincicola and A. graceolens under monoculture grew poorly, but S. plumbizincicola under intercropping grew well. Under intercropping, the soil organic matter, total N, extractable N, and total P contents decreased significantly while the soil extractable K content had a significant increase, the counts of soil bacteria and fungi increased by 7.9 and 18.4 times and 3.7 and 4.3 times, respectively, but the soil urease and catalase activities remained unchanged, as compared with those under A. graceolens and S. plumbizincicola monoculture. The BIOLOG ECO micro-plates also showed that the carbon sources utilization level and the functional diversity index of soil microbial communities were higher under intercropping than under monoculture, and the concentrations of soil zinc and cadmium under intercropping decreased by 5.8% and 50.0%, respectively, with the decrements being significantly higher than those under monoculture. It was suggested that soil microbial effect could be one of the important factors affecting plant growth.

[Effects of organic amendments on the growth and heavy metal uptake of rice on a contaminated soil].

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of three organic amendments (organic carbon material, rapeseed cake, and pig manure) on the growth and heavy metal uptake of rice on a heavy metal mixed contaminated paddy soil. Applying rapeseed cake and pig manure could mitigate the toxic effect of heavy metals on rice plant. The two organic amendments increased the shoot biomass and grain yield significantly, and decreased the heavy metal concentration in brown rice. Under the application of organic carbon material, rice growth was inhibited. As compared with the control, applying rapeseed cake and pig manure increased the grain yield by 128.3% and 67.9%, and decreased the Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations in brown rice by 47.6%, 35.2% and 21.5%, and 9.5%, 21.2% and 9.3%, respectively. The shoot biomass and its total accumulation of Cd, Cu, and Zn had significant negative correlations with the soil DTPA-extractable heavy metals.

[Environmental effects of applying heavy metal-containing municipal sewage sludge on wheat-rice rotation system on different types of soil].

A pot experiment with the yellow soil and limestone soil from Guizhou province, and paddy soil from Zhejiang Province was conducted to study the impacts of applying municipal sewage sludge containing different concentrations of heavy metals on the wheat and rice growth and their Zn and Cd absorption. The risks of the crop heavy metals pollution caused by the application of the same sludge differed with tested soils. On the yellow soil and paddy soil, applying the sludge containing high concentration heavy metals induced higher pollution risks to the crops. Applying the sludge 1.6% in dry mass and containing 1789 mg x kg(-1) of Zn and 8.47 mg x kg(-1) of Cd to yellow soil made the Zn and Cd concentrations in wheat grains reached 109 and 0.08 mg x kg(-1), and after the second time application of the same dosage of this sludge after rice planting, the Zn and Cd concentrations in brown rice reached 52.0 and 0.54 mg x kg(-1), respectively. However, applying the sludge to calcareous soil had no pollution risk to the edible parts of wheat and rice. Soil NH4OAc-extractable Zn was the main factor affecting the Zn concentration in wheat grain and brown rice, but soil NH4OAc-extractable Cd had less effect on the Cd concentration in wheat grain and brown nce. Applying the sludge containing high concentration Zn and Cd to the three soils made the concentrations of total Zn and Cd in the soils increased significantly, and after the first time and the second time of the application, the total Zn concentration in the soils all exceeded the 2nd level of the national soil environmental quality standards.

[Effects of intercropping Sedum plumbizincicola in wheat growth season under wheat-rice rotation on the crops growth and their heavy metals uptake from different soil types].

A pot experiment with heavy metals- contaminated black soil from Heilongjiang Province, alluvial soil from Henan Province, and paddy soil from Zhejiang Province was conducted to study the effects of intercropping Sedum plumbizincicola in wheat growth season under wheat (Triticum aestivum) - rice (Oryza sativa) rotation on the growth of the crops and their heavy metals uptake, aimed to explore the feasibility of simultaneous grain production and heavy metals-contaminated soil phytoremediation in main food crop production areas of this country. Comparing with monoculture T. aestivum, intercropping S. plumbizincicola increased the soil NaNO3 -extractable Zn and Cd significantly, with the increment of extractable Zn in test paddy soil, alluvial soil, and black soil being 55%, 32% and 110%, and that of extractable Cd in test paddy soil and black soil being 38% and 110%, respectively. The heavy metals concentration in T. aestivum shoots under intercropping S. plumbizincicola was 0.1-0.9 times higher than that under monoculture T. aestivum, but the intercropping had little effects on the rice growth and its heavy metals uptake. Though the Cd concentration in rice grain after S. plumbizincicola planting was still higher than 0.2 mg kg(-1) (the limit of Cd in food standard), it presented a decreasing trend, as compared with that after monoculture T. aestivum. Therefore, intercropping S. plumbizincicola in wheat growth season under wheat-rice rota- tion could benefit the phytoremediation of heavy metals-contaminated soil, and decrease the food-chain risk of rotated rice.

[Effects of fungi on co-metabolic degradation of benzo [a] pyrene in droughty red soil].

Simulated bioslurry remediation of PAHs contaminated soil was carried out. Penicillium, Aspergillus niger and white-rot fungus etc. three strains of fungi isolated from petroleum-contaminated soils were inoculated into droughty red soils differently in application rates of phenanthrene and phthalic acid, to investigate their effects of co-metabolic degradation of B[a]P. Results show that in natural soils, some native microorganisms were able to degrade B[a] P and with addition of low molecular weight PAHs-phenanthrene increased degradation rate of B[a] P in the soil. The effect was greater when the application rate of phenanthrene was 100 mg x kg(-1) than 200 mg x kg(-1). But the addition of phthalic acid did not show much effect. In sterilized soils, degradation of B[a]P in soils was hardly observed, and application of co-metabolism has no significant effect. However, inoculation of Penicillium stimulated degradation of B[a]P in all three treatments, i.e., phenanthrene at 100 mg x kg(-1), phenanthrene at 200 mg x kg(-1) and phthalic acid, but the effect of phenanthrene treatment was better than that of phthalic acid treatment. Inoculation of Aspergillus niger also showed similar effect, however, was inhibited by the presence of phenanthrene and phthalic acid in the soil. The degradation ability of white-rot fungus to B[a]P was very poor, but both kinds of phenanthrene concentration and phthalic acid treatments all could promote white-rot fungus to degrade B[a]P in soils, and the effect of phenanthrene was better than that of phthalic acid.

[Effects of Sedum plumbizincicola--Oryza sativa rotation and phosphate amendment on Cd and Zn uptake by O. sativa].

In a pot experiment, hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola and low-cadmium accumulating Oryza sativa cultivar "Zhongxiang No. 1" were planted in rotation on a heavy metals-polluted soil, and calcium magnesium phosphate (Ca-P) and rock phosphate (P-R) were amended, aimed to study the effects of the rotation and phosphate amendment on the growth of the two plants and the zinc- and cadmium accumulation in their shoots. After the amendment of 50 g P-R x kg(-1), the Zn and Cd uptake by S. plumbizincicola was 11.5 mg x pot(-1) and 0 x 79 mg x pot(-1), respectively, being significantly higher than that after the amendment of 4 g Ca-P x kg(-1). After the planting of S. plumbizincicola, the Zn and Cd concentrations in "Zhongxiang No. 1" increased, but the amendment of Ca-P decreased the accumulation of Zn and Cd in rice shoot significantly. The rotation with S. plumbizincicola and the amendment of Ca-P and P-R could immobilize the Zn and Cd in the contaminated soil as indicated by the quantitative change of NH4OAc-extractable Cd and Zn, and the efficiency of amendment with Ca-P was better than that of amendment with P-R. Field trial showed that amendment with Ca-P could not only increase the rice yield, but also reduce the Zn and Cd accumulation in rice shoot to a certain extent.

[Application of Pb stable isotope in source identification of soil pollutants].

Stable isotopes are key importance for tracing the source of heavy metals in soils. 11 surface soil samples were collected in a contaminated site according to geostatistical results, which had a series of concentrations from almost background value of Pb to more than 2 000 microg x g(-1). Pb stable isotope composition of the soil samples was analyzed to imply the sources. The results showed that 206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/204Pb and 206Pb/204Pb of soil samples were all remarkably correlated linearly with reciprocals of Pb concentration, and 206Pb/204Pb had a significant positive linear correlation with 208Pb/204Pb, which was consistent with binary mixing model. It can be inferred that soil Pb mainly came from two sources, an anthropogenic source and soil parent material.

[Effect of planting densities on yields and zinc and cadmium uptake by Sedum plumbizincicola].

A field plot experiment was conducted to study the effects of planting densities on the growth and heavy metals uptake by Sedum plumbizincicola. The results showed that yields of Sedum plumbizincicola were enhanced with the increase of planting density; however, there was no further increase when planting density was too high. With planting density increasing from 1.1 x 10(5) plants per hm2 to 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2, Cd and Zn uptake of aboveground Sedum plumbizincicola increased from 0.208 kg x hm(-2) to 0.631 kg x hm(-2), from 13.2 kg x hm(-2) to 58.7 kg x hm(-2), respectively; yet, there was no significant enhancement between the planting density of 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2 and 1.0 x 10(6) plants per hmb2. When planting density was 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2, the Cd and Zn removal rates in contaminated soil were 21.1%, 4.60%, respectively. Appropriate planting density would benefit Cd and Zn uptake of aboveground Sedum plumbizincicola, and shorten phytoremediation period.