Influence of sulfite and fluoride soil contamination on the pigment content in some species of arboreal plants

Abstract

Industrial pollution of soil exerts a great negative influence on plant organisms. In particular, plants that grow in soil polluted with high-density metals, sulfur compounds (SO₄^2–), chlorine (Cl^–), etc., are characterized by growth inhibition and reduced metabolic activity. Additionally, plants play a significant role in optimizing the environment. The objects of the investigation were sprouts of five woody plant species – Gleditcia triacantos L., Quercus robur L., Lonicera tataricum L., Eleagnus angustifolia L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., which were cultivated in the soil contaminated with fluoride and sulfite. The content of chlorophyll a in the stable plants (Eleagnus angustifolia L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.) decreases by 6.2‒190.0%, and chlorophyll b decreases by 3.1‒124.6% in comparison to control plants. All variations of pollutants inserted into soil cause a significant decrease in the level of chlorophyll a (14.7‒55.4%) for not-stable Lonicera tataricum L. The amount of chlorophyll b decreases 1.45‒1.88 times for this species. For stable species Eleagnus angustifolia L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L., the changes in the the content of carotenoids are characterized by their 4.5–5.5-times decrease in comparison to the control plants. For unstable species (Gleditcia triacantos L., Lonicera tataricum L.), the content of carotenoids decreases by 36.5‒86.3%.