Exposição e acumulação de elementos potencialmente tóxicos em rúcula (Eruca sativa)

• Author(s): Fidalgo, Andreia Filipa Brito
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/6786
• Origin: Repositório da UTL
• Subject(s): rocket; Eruca sativa; cadmium; copper; arsenic; salinity
• Document Type: Master thesis
• Language: Portuguese
• Advisor(s): Mourato, Miguel Barbosa; Sales, Joana Ride
• Contributor(s): Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa

Description

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Instituto Superior de Agronomia

In this project the effects of the exposure of rocket (Eruca sativa) to potentially toxic elements (PTE) was analysed. The effects of NaCl were also analysed, with particular interest in its accumulation and its effect in plant growth and development. Different growth parameters were studied such as biomass, dry matter and chlorophyll contents (Hansatech) and mineral composition. The samples were exposed to solutions containing Cd, Cu, As and NaCl during 39 days. It was verified that the plants biomass did not change significantly with time when PTEs and NaCl were applied to them. The content of dry matter, however, showed an increasing trend throughout the experiments when exposed to the same components. Additionally, it was observed a significant decrease in the chlorophyll content, evidenced by the manifestation of chlorosis, mainly in the samples contaminated with Cu. It was observed an accumulation of PTEs in the edible part of the control samples. After 41 days, the contamination levels were higher than the ones established by law for horticulture products, especially for Cd and As. Regarding the samples contaminated with Cu and taking into account that Cu is an essential element to all organisms, it was shown that its concentration also exceeded the limits permitted by law after 41 days of exposure.