PLANTS GROWING ON CONTAMINATED AND BROWNFIELD SITES APPROPRIATE FOR USE IN ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT TERRESTRIAL PLANT GROWTH TEST

Danielle E. Sinnett, Victoria K. Lawrence, Tony R. Hutchings, Mark E. Hodson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development (OECD) terrestrial plant test is often used for the ecological risk assessment of contaminated land However its origins in plant protection product testing mean that the species recommended in the OECD guidelines are unlikely to occur on contaminated land Six alternative species were tested on contaminated soils from a former Zn smelter and a metal fragmentizer with elevated concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn The response of the alternative species was compared with that of two species recommended by the OECD Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass) and Trifolium pratense (red clover) Urtica Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) and Poa annua (annual meadowgrass) had low emergence rates in the control soil and so may be considered unsuitable Festuca rubra (Chewings fescue) Holcus lanatus (Yorkshire fog) Senecio vulgaris (common groundsel) and Verba scum thapsus (great mullein) offer good alternatives to the OECD species In particular H lanatus and S vulgar's were more sensitive to the soils with moderate concentrations of Cd, Cu Pb and Zn than the OECD species Environ Toxicol Chem 2011 30 124-131 (C) 2010 SETAC

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)124-131
Number of pages8
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Volume30
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2011

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