Soil heavy metal cadmium makes plants more sensitive to ozone pollution: research

SHENYANG -- Chinese researchers have discovered that a high density of metal cadmium in soil makes plants more sensitive to ozone pollution.

Heavy metal and ground-level ozone pollution have been steadily increasing, especially in cities with heavy industry, said the research paper published on the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.

Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences used the Urban Field Experiment Platform to conduct research on the effects of elevated ozone concentration and a high density of heavy metal on plants in northeast China.

The results showed that high cadmium content in soil increased the susceptibility and toxicity of plants, such as a hybrid poplar mentioned in their study, to ozone pollution, meanwhile the ozone exacerbated cadmium accumulation in above-ground parts of the plants grown on cadmium-polluted soil.

The researchers did not find a significant effect of low cadmium soil on photosynthesis and above-ground biomass.

The research results may be consulted when selecting plants for urban afforestation and ecological soil restoration in ozone-polluted and high soil heavy metal areas.