Lead uptake, toxicity and accumulation in Phaseolus vulgaris plants

The effects of lead were investigated in bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Zlota Saxa) grown hydroponically in nutrient solution and exposed to Pb(NO3)2 (0.1, 0.5, 1 mM) with or without equimolar concentrations of chelator ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The roots treated only with Pb(NO3)2 accumulated up to 25 g(Pb) kg-1(d.m.), during 4-d exposure. However, in bean plants exposed to 0.5 mM Pb + 0.5 mM EDTA or 1 mM Pb + 1 mM EDTA 2.5 times less Pb was determined. In bean plants treated only with Pb, less than 6 % of total lead accumulated was transported to the aboveground parts, while in the case of plants grown with Pb + EDTA, around 50 % of total Pb was transported to the shoots.