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Study of the use of crops for phytoremediation of contaminated soil by pharmaceuticals
Hamplová, Marie ; Zlámalová Gargošová, Helena (referee) ; Mravcová, Ludmila (advisor)
Pharmaceuticals leaking into the environment from wastewater and livestock farms raise concerns about the impact on the ecosystem and human health. Residues of pharmaceuticals present in soil are subject to a number of biotic and abiotic processes, including uptake, translocation and accumulation by plants. The ability of plants to accumulate or degrade pharmaceuticals could have potential applications in the process of 'phytoremediation', where plants and their associated micro-organisms are used to stabilise, degrade or remove contaminants from the environment. In the framework of this thesis, experiments on phytoremediation of drug-contaminated soil by the cover crop oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. Oleiformis) under controlled conditions were conducted. Soil samples were extracted by ultrasonic extraction, plant samples by QuEChERS method and the final analysis of drugs was performed by UPLC-MS/MS. Oilseed radish produced a large amount of aboveground biomass compared to the other two crops and the presence of drugs had no negative effect on its growth. However, the determined levels of each drug in the soil and in the crop showed insufficient effectiveness of phytoremediation. The accumulation of drugs by the crop was low except for residues of the antidepressant venlafaxine. Therefore, according to these results, oilseed radish is not a suitable crop for phytoremediation of drug-contaminated soil. Experiments were also carried out with the root vegetable radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. Sativus) and carrot (Daucus carota L.) to assess the risk to human health associated with the accumulation of drugs in vegetable roots. The risk has not been demonstrated in terms of the amount of established drugs in the roots. Only the metabolite clofibric acid accumulated to a higher extent and the antibiotic trimethoprim was the most translocated to the aerial parts of the crop. The rate of uptake and translocation of drugs by the plant depended on many factors, as their content varied considerably between drug groups and between parts and types of crops.
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Influence of plasma treated water on the plant growth and vitality
Vozár, Tomáš ; Zahoranová, Anna (referee) ; Kozáková, Zdenka (advisor)
This diploma thesis deals with the effect of plasma activated water on plant growth and vitality. By interaction of plasma with water, water acquires new unique properties that can be used in agriculture. The theoretical part deals with the basic properties of plasma, possibilities of preparation of plasma activated water in laboratory conditions, its physico-chemical characterization, and possibilities of its use in agriculture. In the next part, plant photosynthesis is discussed in connection with chlorophyll fluorescence, which measures the activity of photosystem II. Activity is an indicator of plant vitality, under environmental changes. At the end of the theoretical part, there are listed further possibilities for the analysis of plant material and food, such as elemental analysis, sensory analysis, and determination of dry matter content. Within the experimental part, plasma activated water (PAW) was prepared using plasma nozzle with introduced gas mixture that was immersed in the treated liquid. Further, plasma activated water was characterized and applied to radish plants. The effect of PAW on the plant growth and vitality was observed. The effect on the growth was observed through determination of fresh weight and dry matter content, the effect on vitality was assessed through chlorophyll fluorescence and the NDVI index. In the end, the effect on the content of stored elements C, H, O, and N in plants was determined and a sensory analysis was performed. The results show positive effects of plasma activated water on the plant growth and its sensory parameters such as appearance, taste, or spiciness. The results further show that PAW does not adversely affect plant vitality. This experiment should be continued by further indoor replication of the experiment to confirm obtained results and then, by moving the experiment to exterior in a form of field experiments.
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