TY - JOUR

T1 - Phytotoxicity of phenanthrene and its nitrogen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon analogues in ageing soil

AU - Anyanwu, Ihuoma

AU - Semple, Kirk Taylor

PY - 2015/10

Y1 - 2015/10

N2 - The impacts of phenanthrene and its nitrogen-containing analogues (N-PAHs) on seedling emergence and plant biomass of two terrestrial plant species, Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Lolium perenne (rye grass), were investigated in soil over a 21-day exposure period. The data over 0–90-day soil-chemical contact time revealed that seedling emergence and plant biomass were significantly affected by N-PAHs even at the lowest concentration of 10 mg/kg. N-PAH amended soils showed greater inhibitory effects on seedling emergence and early plant biomass than phenanthrene amendments with incubations overtime. The degree of inhibition (% inhibition) on seedling emergence over time was 33.3 % (lettuce) and 46.7 % (rye grass) for the phenanthrene, and 53.3 % (lettuce) and 93.3 % (rye grass) for the N-PAHs, respectively, suggesting greater sensitivity of seedling emergence and early plant biomass on N-PAH-contaminated soil. The results from this study will contribute to data gaps for poorly managed chemicals/chemical groups for environmental risk assessment and might be useful in the development of new approaches for hazard assessment of contaminated systems.

AB - The impacts of phenanthrene and its nitrogen-containing analogues (N-PAHs) on seedling emergence and plant biomass of two terrestrial plant species, Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Lolium perenne (rye grass), were investigated in soil over a 21-day exposure period. The data over 0–90-day soil-chemical contact time revealed that seedling emergence and plant biomass were significantly affected by N-PAHs even at the lowest concentration of 10 mg/kg. N-PAH amended soils showed greater inhibitory effects on seedling emergence and early plant biomass than phenanthrene amendments with incubations overtime. The degree of inhibition (% inhibition) on seedling emergence over time was 33.3 % (lettuce) and 46.7 % (rye grass) for the phenanthrene, and 53.3 % (lettuce) and 93.3 % (rye grass) for the N-PAHs, respectively, suggesting greater sensitivity of seedling emergence and early plant biomass on N-PAH-contaminated soil. The results from this study will contribute to data gaps for poorly managed chemicals/chemical groups for environmental risk assessment and might be useful in the development of new approaches for hazard assessment of contaminated systems.

KW - Phytotoxicity

KW - Bioavailability

KW - Seedling emergence

KW - Biomass

KW - Nitrogen-containing PAHs

U2 - 10.1007/s11270-015-2589-x

DO - 10.1007/s11270-015-2589-x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 226

JO - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

JF - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

SN - 0049-6979

M1 - 347

ER -