StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Environmental Science - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Even though it exists naturally in the crust most of the arsenic found today have been produced due to anthropogenic activities. Arsenic is a known toxic chemical which can induce toxicity at…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.4% of users find it useful
Environmental Science
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Environmental Science"

s Article:Promotion of arsenic phytoextraction efficiency in the fern Pteris vittata by the inoculation of As-resistant bacteria: a soil bioremediation perspective Author: Lampis,S et al.Publication: Frontiers in Plant ScienceDate: 2015 Feb 18Arsenic, is one of the major pollutants that has contaminated soil and drinking water. Even though it exists naturally in the crust most of the arsenic found today have been produced due to anthropogenic activities.

Arsenic is a known toxic chemical which can induce toxicity at the genetic level. It is also a well known carcinogen. It causes several physiological problems even with acute exposure and therefore the presence of arsenic in the atmosphere is a potential threat to the health of humans. Researchers have long searched for appropriate methodologies to make the environment arsenic free and phytoremediation is considered one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to remove arsenic from arsenic contaminated soil.

In this paper, Lampis et al, test the efficiency of a fern Pteris vittata inoculated with certain bacterial strains, on arsenic phytoextraction in an arsenic contaminated soil.The researchers aimed to investigate the capability of Pteris vittata or Chinese brake fern to remove arsenic from an arsenic contaminated soil sample when inoculated with certain bacterial strains. The soil sample sued for the study was procured from an arsenic contaminated area in in Scarlino Industrial area in Tuscany, Italy.

This particular site served as a landfill area where almost 1.5milion tons of arsenopyrite cinders had been dumped thereby exposing the dump site to rain and subsequent leaching of the arsenic into the soil to the groundwater table. The researchers procured the rhizosphere of different autochthonous plants that grew in and around the Scarlino area and used the plant parts to extract bacterial strains that were naturally arsenic-resistant. They cultured the bacterial strain under laboratory conditions to obtain pure colonies.

The ability of the bacteria to promote plant growth was also checked by conducting assay for IAA production and measuring the 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity. Taxonomic analysis of the bacterial isolates was conducted using both wet lab and dry lab methods.Next, the reserachers propagated the growth of Chinese brake fern under controlled conditions. Prior to this the arsenic content in the soil was measured. Four experimental set ups were done-i) Non-inoculated plants, ii) Plants inoculated with the siderophore-producing and arsenate-reducing bacteria Pseudomonas sp.

P1III2 and Delftia sp. P2III5 (A); iii) Plants inoculated with the siderophore and indoleacetic acid-producing bacteria Bacillus sp. MPV12, Variovorax sp. P4III4, andPseudoxanthomonas sp. P4V6 (B)iv) Plants inoculated with all five bacterial strains - Pseudomonas sp. P1III2 ,Delftia sp, Bacillus sp. MPV12, Variovorax sp. P4III4, and Pseudoxanthomonas sp.The researchers, at the end of the experiment, measured the biomass and the arsenic level in the roots as well as the fronds of the ferns.

The results showed that there was a significant increase of almost 35% in the biomass of the plants which had been inoculated with bacteria when compared to those that had not received inoculation. The test results also confirmed that plants that received mixed inoculum had a greater capability to phytoextract arsenic from the soil as compared to non-inoculated ferns. Non-inoculated ferns could extract 13% arsenic while fern inoculated with bacteria could easily phytoextract up to 35% of soil arsenic.

The researchers further established that the bacterial strains also induced greater production of plant growth hormones which helped the plants to grow. Thus, it was established that ferns with a natural capability to phytoextract arsenic from the soil could extract greater amount of arsenic when inoculated with arsenic-resisting bacteria.Arsenic is a major pollutant in many areas of the world. Ferns have been employed for phytoremediation. However, this experiment helped understand the fact that the efficiency of phytoremediation of the plants could be increased by using certain microorganisms.

In the future, the same application may be investigated on phytoremediation of other heavy metals as well.The method of phytoremediation is today extremely important since it poses no threat to the environment and helps in reclamation of soil and water.

Read More
Tags
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Environmental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1692146-environmental-science
(Environmental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 Words - 1)
https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1692146-environmental-science.
“Environmental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 Words - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1692146-environmental-science.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Environmental Science

I need a reaction paper for an environmental science class of one page

The documentary of Deborah Garcia further reveals that what is happening right now is a vicious cycle that does not stop in the problem of agriculture and the weighted hand of big corporations that control it.... Food, among the basic necessities of life, is the most important of all.... hellip; Nourishment is necessary to sustain a man's existence....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Environmental Science Phase 4 Individual Project

This fuel source is a lot cleaner than diesel and would aid in the riddance of unwanted air pollutants, but the truth lies that they are still fossil fuels, their presence on… Add the fact that natural gas fuels still emit pollutants.... In fact, the burning process of any fuel equates to certain pollutant outputs. Electric automobiles possess many benefits over inner burning engines, which CAR FUELS A....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - (OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS) ---((EASY_

It is a substance as recognized or defined by the U.... .... Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. a) pentoxifylline, Trental - a drug (trade name Trental) used to treat… Drugs are useful as long as they are within the date of expiry which makes them safe to use, but if the date has expired one should not take them Over the Counter Drugs Order No....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Environmental Science or Water Quality Parameters

The author of the essay "Environmental Science or Water Quality Parameters" states that the quality of water in a stream in a stream can be measured by various parameters.... The most common parameters in measuring the quality of water are turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, etc....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Week 2: Ecosystems, Evolution and Biodiversity - Assignments- Environmental Science

If any one or more of the components are not present in an Environmental Science Environmental Science Ecosystem is defined as a community which consists of living and non-living organisms living together, intermingling with one another and with the environment and in some way or the other effecting and influencing the life of each other....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

W 5 Discussion Board: Wildlife Environmental Science

These are the protected areas which cannot be exploited for any kind of construction, neither animals are hunted for skin and bones, rather animals are protected in these areas and they stay… People visit these protected areas to understand their natural habitat.... One of the biggest advantages of developing National Park is the conservation of natural resources, both flora and fauna of that area which also includes some of the rare plant and The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Having Conservation Systems" National Parks and wild life Sanctuaries safeguard the animals in their natural habitat....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

W 7 Discussion Board: Energy Consumption- Environmental Science

Efficiency means minimum waste.... And I want to waste nothing when I use electricity.... Even though I pay for what I use but that doesn't mean I need to abuse it.... For instance, I can start the ‘save the… I can switch off lights that are not in use.... I can recycle as much as possible....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Environmental Science- make up a hypothetical disaster scenario

The one environmental-based impact of the selected scenario is that the secondary effects involve possibilities of fracturing of gas main resulting… Additionally, there is a high possibility of sewerage pipes breakage which then results to water contamination hence spread of illness causing pathogens....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us