Effect of phosphorus on arsenic accumulation in As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. and its implication

Pot experiment was conducted to understand the effect of phosphorus on arsenic accumulation in As-hyperaccumulator Chinese brake (Pteris vittata L.). It is shown that arsenic concentrations in the fronds and rhizoids, the arsenic bioaccumulation factor, and the total arsenic in the fronds were not influenced significantly under low levels of phosphorus (≤400 mg/kg) and increased sharply under high levels of phosphorus (>400 mg/ kg). The discovery implies that the efficiency of arsenic removal in phytoremediation using the hyperaccumulating plant can be greatly elevated by the phosphorus addition at high rates. The interaction between the accumulation of phosphorus and that of arsenic in plant was stimulated mutually. The result represents that Chinese brake is a good material for plant physiologist to conduct comparative and mechanism studies on the uptake behaviors of phosphorus and arsenic, and phosphorus is also a potential accelerator for phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated soils.