Metal Mixture Toxicity to Lettuce Seedlings (Lactuca sativa)
Research Mentor(s)
Sofield, Ruth M.
Description
Metals are often found in the environment in mixtures. There is limited metal mixture data for management models used to assess the impacts of chemicals in the environment. In this project we are testing the acute toxicity of metal mixtures to Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and using the results to characterize mixture interactions. The mixtures are binary combinations of the following metals: iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, and cadmium. We are looking for effects where the combination of two metals are either more toxic (synergistic) or less toxic (antagonistic) than expected based on additivity. To date, binary combinations of iron and cadmium, iron and zinc, iron and copper, and cadmium and zinc are antagonistic, which is not as expected if the toxic mechanism is the same for each metal. Studying mixture toxicity will lead to better understanding of the mechanisms of metal toxicity that determine the differences in mixture effects. Ultimately, this can lead to better informed decision making when assessing the risk of metals in the environment and creating regulations.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
17-5-2017 12:00 PM
End Date
17-5-2017 3:00 PM
Department
Environmental Sciences
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Metals--Environmetal aspects--Study and teaching (Higher); Environmental chemistry; Soils--Heavy metal content--Study and teaching (Higher); Soil pollution--Study and teaching (Higher)
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Metal Mixture Toxicity to Lettuce Seedlings (Lactuca sativa)
Metals are often found in the environment in mixtures. There is limited metal mixture data for management models used to assess the impacts of chemicals in the environment. In this project we are testing the acute toxicity of metal mixtures to Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and using the results to characterize mixture interactions. The mixtures are binary combinations of the following metals: iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, and cadmium. We are looking for effects where the combination of two metals are either more toxic (synergistic) or less toxic (antagonistic) than expected based on additivity. To date, binary combinations of iron and cadmium, iron and zinc, iron and copper, and cadmium and zinc are antagonistic, which is not as expected if the toxic mechanism is the same for each metal. Studying mixture toxicity will lead to better understanding of the mechanisms of metal toxicity that determine the differences in mixture effects. Ultimately, this can lead to better informed decision making when assessing the risk of metals in the environment and creating regulations.
Comments
Outstanding Poster Award Recipient