Effects of Combined Contamination of Cadmium and Arsenic in Soil on Growth of Industrial Peppers (Capsicum annuum)

doi:10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0567

Abstract

Abstract:

The co-contamination of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in soils is prevalent in Southern China. Cultivating non-edible economic crops in heavy metals contaminated soils serves as a critical strategy to ensure safe utilization and sustainable agricultural production. As an emerging economic crop, the mechanisms of accumulation, translocation, and stress response of industrial peppers (Capsicum annuum) to Cd and As in co-contaminated soils remain unclear. This study investigated the absorption, accumulation patterns, organ distribution, and growth responses of industrial peppers in Cd and As co-contaminated soil through pot experiments. The results demonstrated that combined Cd and As contamination significantly inhibited the growth of industrial peppers. Furthermore, the accumulation characteristics of Cd and As varied across different plant organs, and Cd content followed the order of root>leaf>stem, while As content followed root>stem > leaf. Both the bioconcentration factor and translocation factor showed Cd>As, indicating that the accumulation and translocation capacity of Cd in industrial peppers was significantly stronger than that of As. The bioavailability of Cd and As in soil was significantly influenced by pH and the total concentration of the respective elements, with bioavailable Cd also showing a significant correlation with organic matter. A partial least squares model revealed that the Cd and As content in industrial peppers was driven by their bioavailable forms in the soil, indirectly regulated by pH, organic matter, and total element concentrations. These factors ultimately directly affect nutrient uptake and plant growth.

Key words: heavy metals, industrial peppers, growth traits, migration pattern, enrichment factor, bioavailability

LI Jingru, LI Zhuoqing, XIANG Qingqing, LI Leifu, ZOU Ruijuan, LEI Ming. Effects of Combined Contamination of Cadmium and Arsenic in Soil on Growth of Industrial Peppers (Capsicum annuum)[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2026, 42(4): 117-125.

Figures/Tables 11

References 26

[1]	国家环境保护部,国家国土资源部. 全国土壤污染状况调查公报[J]. 中国环保产业, 2014(5):10-11.
[2]	ASIF M, AHMAD R, PERVEZ A, et al. Combination of melatonin and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria improved the growth of Spinacia oleracea L. under the arsenic and cadmium stresses[J]. Physiological and molecular plant pathology, 2023, 127:102097. doi: 10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102097 URL
[3]	REN X Y, ZHENG Y L, LIU Z L, et al. Exploring ecological effects of arsenic and cadmium combined exposure on cropland soil: From multilevel organisms to soil functioning by multi-omics coupled with high-throughput quantitative PCR[J]. Journal of hazardous materials, 2024, 466:133567. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133567 URL
[4]	雷鸣, 周一敏, 黄大睿, 等. 湖南耕地土壤和稻米重金属污染防控实践与思考[J]. 地学前缘, 2024, 31(2):173-182. doi: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.8.24
[5]	吴科堰, 敖明, 柴冠群, 等. 非食用经济作物修复重金属污染土壤研究进展[J]. 山地农业生物学报, 2019, 38(1):62-67.
[6]	骆永明, 滕应. 我国土壤污染的区域差异与分区治理修复策略[J]. 中国科学院院刊, 2018, 33(2):145-152.
[7]	张志强, 韦亮, 耿丽平, 等. 农田土壤和辣椒/甘薯可食部位镉砷铅污染特征及健康风险评价[J]. 环境科学, 2025, 46(1):470-477.
[8]	魏福晓, 颜秋晓, 王道平, 等. 辣椒幼苗对镉胁迫的生理生化响应[J]. 云南农业大学学报(自然科学), 2024, 39(6):121-132.
[9]	张忠祥. 重金属砷和镉在辣椒、西瓜、萝卜中分布富集的差异及其成因研究[D]. 乌鲁木齐: 新疆农业大学, 2023.
[10]	RIZA M. Phytoremediation of Pb and Cd contaminated soils by using sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plant[J]. Annals of agricultural science, 2018, 63(1):123-127.
[11]	张颖, 赵欣, 张圣虎, 等. 3种地被竹对重金属复合污染农田土壤的修复潜力[J]. 环境科学, 2022, 43(8):4262-4270.
[12]	黄意成, 范拴喜, 李丹, 等. 菊芋(Helianthus tuberosus)对镉、铅、锌复合污染土壤的修复潜力[J]. 地球与环境, 2024, 52(1):96-103.
[13]	罗增明, 剧永望, 张慧娟, 等. 三七及种植土壤重金属污染特征与风险评价[J]. 中国环境科学, 2022, 42(12):5775-5784.
[14]	XU W, HUANG H, LI X, et al. CaHMA1 promotes Cd accumulation in pepper fruit[J]. Journal of hazardous materials, 2023, 460:132480. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132480 URL
[15]	ZHAO F J, TANG Z, SONG J J, et al. Toxic metals and metalloids: uptake, transport, detoxification, phytoremediation, and crop improvement for safer food[J]. Molecular plant, 2022, 15(1):27-44. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2021.09.016 URL
[16]	JIA H, HOU D, O'CONNOR D, et al. Exogenous phosphorus treatment facilitates chelation-mediated cadmium detoxification in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)[J]. Journal of hazardous materials, 2020, 389:121849. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121849 URL
[17]	CHI G Y, FANG Y T, ZHU B, et al. Intercropping with Brassica juncea L. enhances maize yield and promotes phytoremediation of cadmium-contaminated soil by changing rhizosphere properties[J]. Journal of hazardous materials, 2024, 461:132727. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132727 URL
[18]	MUNIR R, JAN M H, MUHAMMAD S, et al. Detrimental effects of Cd and temperature on rice and functions of microbial community in paddy soils[J]. Environmental pollution, 2023, 324:121371. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121371 URL
[19]	AZHAR M, REHMAN M Z U, ALI S, et al. Comparative effectiveness of different biochars and conventional organic materials on growth, photosynthesis and cadmium accumulation in cereals[J]. Chemosphere, 2019, 227:72-81. doi: S0045-6535(19)30688-5 pmid: 30981972
[20]	NAING A H, KIM C K. Abiotic stress-induced anthocyanins in plants: Their role in tolerance to abiotic stresses[J]. Physiologia plantarum, 2021, 172(3):1711-1723. doi: 10.1111/ppl.v172.3 URL
[21]	HASANUZZAMAN M, BHUYAN M H M B, ZULFIQAR F, et al. Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defense in plants under abiotic stress: Revisiting the crucial role of a universal defense regulator[J]. Antioxidants, 2020, 9(8):681. doi: 10.3390/antiox9080681 URL
[22]	李佳骏, 叶阜鑫, 刘朝柱, 等. 砷对植物生长和生理生化的影响与机制综述[J]. 生态毒理学报, 2024, 19(1):185-206.
[23]	YANG Y, XIONG J, TAO L, et al. Regulatory mechanisms of nitrogen (N) on cadmium (Cd) uptake and accumulation in plants: A review[J]. Science of the total environment, 2020, 708:135186. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135186 URL
[24]	HONMA T, OHBA H, KANEKO-KADOKURA A, et al. Optimal Soil Eh, pH, and water management for simultaneously minimizing arsenic and cadmium concentrations in rice grains[J]. Environmental science & technology, 2016, 50(8):4178-4185. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05424 URL
[25]	BANDARA T, FRANKS A, XU J, et al. Chemical and biological immobilization mechanisms of potentially toxic elements in biochar-amended soils[J]. Critical reviews in environmental science and technology, 2020, 50(9):903-978. doi: 10.1080/10643389.2019.1642832 URL
[26]	梁以豪, 倪才英, 黎衍亮, 等. 稻田土壤溶解性有机质组成及其与Cd²⁺络合过程研究[J]. 土壤学报, 2024, 62(1):153-164.

土壤编号	有机质/(mg/kg)	总氮/(g/kg)	总磷/(g/kg)	pH	总Cd/(mg/kg)	总As/(mg/kg)	有效Cd/(mg/kg)	有效As/(mg/kg)
CK	29.92±1.53b	1.28±0.16b	0.55±0.16c	6.47±0.04b	0.30±0.66c	20.62±0.71d	0.06±0.00e	0.53±0.02cd
X1	32.50±1.79b	1.59±0.22ab	0.22±0.05d	6.43±0.28b	0.58±0.04b	37.53±4.48b	0.16±0.01c	0.36±0.03d
X2	48.17±2.93a	2.05±0.33a	0.65±0.17c	6.22±0.11b	1.10±0.12a	35.91±1.90bc	0.34±0.02a	0.45±0.09cd
X3	33.65±2.19b	1.90±0.54ab	2.57±0.16a	6.72±0.12b	1.03±0.18a	40.53±4.20b	0.22±0.02b	1.16±0.04b
X4	49.75±2.87a	2.06±0.47a	1.02±0.10b	6.41±0.55b	1.12±0.01a	31.88±0.68c	0.33±0.03a	0.64±0.10c
X5	29.86±2.42b	1.74±0.46ab	0.93±0.18b	7.50±0.04a	0.76±0.10b	78.93±2.70a	0.12±0.02d	3.29±0.21a

土壤编号	有机质/(mg/kg)	总氮/(g/kg)	总磷/(g/kg)	pH	总Cd/(mg/kg)	总As/(mg/kg)	有效Cd/(mg/kg)	有效As/(mg/kg)
CK	29.92±1.53b	1.28±0.16b	0.55±0.16c	6.47±0.04b	0.30±0.66c	20.62±0.71d	0.06±0.00e	0.53±0.02cd
X1	32.50±1.79b	1.59±0.22ab	0.22±0.05d	6.43±0.28b	0.58±0.04b	37.53±4.48b	0.16±0.01c	0.36±0.03d
X2	48.17±2.93a	2.05±0.33a	0.65±0.17c	6.22±0.11b	1.10±0.12a	35.91±1.90bc	0.34±0.02a	0.45±0.09cd
X3	33.65±2.19b	1.90±0.54ab	2.57±0.16a	6.72±0.12b	1.03±0.18a	40.53±4.20b	0.22±0.02b	1.16±0.04b
X4	49.75±2.87a	2.06±0.47a	1.02±0.10b	6.41±0.55b	1.12±0.01a	31.88±0.68c	0.33±0.03a	0.64±0.10c
X5	29.86±2.42b	1.74±0.46ab	0.93±0.18b	7.50±0.04a	0.76±0.10b	78.93±2.70a	0.12±0.02d	3.29±0.21a

级别	单因子污染指数		内梅罗综合污染指数
级别	数值	污染等级	数值	污染等级
1	P_i≤1	清洁	PN≤0.7	安全
2	1<P_i≤2	轻污染	0.7<PN≤1	警戒线
3	2<P_i≤3	中污染	1<PN≤2	轻污染
4	P_i>3	重污染	2<PN≤3	中污染
5			PN>3	重污染

级别	单因子污染指数		内梅罗综合污染指数
级别	数值	污染等级	数值	污染等级
1	P_i≤1	清洁	PN≤0.7	安全
2	1<P_i≤2	轻污染	0.7<PN≤1	警戒线
3	2<P_i≤3	中污染	1<PN≤2	轻污染
4	P_i>3	重污染	2<PN≤3	中污染
5			PN>3	重污染

土壤编号	单因子污染指数				内梅罗综合污染指数
	Cd		As		内梅罗综合污染指数
	污染指数	污染等级	污染指数	污染等级	综合	污染等级
CK	0.75	清洁	0.69	清洁	0.74	警戒线
X1	1.45	轻污染	1.25	轻污染	1.40	轻污染
X2	2.75	中污染	1.20	轻污染	2.39	中污染
X3	1.72	轻污染	1.62	轻污染	1.70	轻污染
X4	2.80	中污染	1.06	轻污染	2.40	中污染
X5	1.25	轻污染	3.16	重污染	2.72	中污染