Salt Distribution in Common Reed Biomass at Increased Salinity

Abstract

This article describes salt distribution (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+) inhalophytic plants,common reed (Phragmites australis)taken from four locations inOstrava -DůlLazy, Karvinský potok, Heřmanický rybník, Nový rybník.Theresearch aimed tofind out where salts, but also other elements acting ascontaminants intheenvironment arestored, how they aredistributed, what physiognomic changes they cause intheplant, andtowhat extent common reed can face thestress conditions ofsalinity inthephytoremediation process.Theexperiment took place under controllable conditions inthephytotron -temperature 25°C, light regime 12hours day/12hours night, air humidity 60%, light intensity 150μmol.m-2.s-1.Bunches ofreeds were subjected togradual salinization with 1% to5% Darkov salt solutions. Biomass samples were analyzed byinstrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA)andatomic absorption spectrometry (AAS)methods.Based on the results of measurements conducted using the AAS and NAA methods, it can be concluded that the dominant element in the reed beds at all four specified sites of interest is potassium. It is bioaccumulated in the aboveground part of the plant. The highest concentration of potassium was found in the aboveground part of the reeds from the Karvinský potok site; the lowest was observed in the aboveground part of the reeds from the Nový rybník site.The growth analysis was not conducted according to the methodology, but another interesting finding is that reed beds from the Nový rybník site exhibited the best tolerance to salt stress and the gradual process of salinization with 1% to 5% solutions of Darkov salt.