Phytoremediation of Pesticide Contaminated Soil in Kazakhstan

1. Phytoremediation of Pesticide Contaminated Soil in Kazakhstan A. Nurzhanova, P. Kulakow, K. Zhambakin, I. Rakhimbayev, A. Sedlovskiy, S. Kalugin, E. Rubin, L. Niketevich, L. Kalmukov Institute of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Bioengineering Kansas State University Technology Innovation Office, USEPA Biomonitoring Laboratory, Biomedpreparat

2. Abandoned pesticide warehouse site in Kazakhstan -- Point 1

3. Abandoned pesticide warehouse site in Kazakhstan – Point 2

4. KAZAKHSTAN Study sites near Astana and Almaty • 14 oblasts • The capital - Astana • 2.7 million square kilometers • 223 million hectares cultivated land or pasture

5. Purpose of ISTC Grant K-750 • To identify pesticide tolerant plants that accumulate and/or degrade pesticides and pesticide residues. Initial Tasks: • Estimate pesticide concentrations in soil at field sites. • Identify tolerant plants at selected sites. • Quantitative and qualitative analysis of residual pesticides in soil and plant tissue.

6. Pesticide concentrations in soilAlmaty region -- Point 1

7. Pesticide concentrations in soilAlmaty region -- Point 2

8. Mutations caused by DDT and HCH • Studied the effect of DDT and HCH on chromosome structural mutations in barley. • Treated barley plants with range of concentrations observed in the field. • Compared to control of water and hexane.

9. The influence of DDT on structural chromosome mutations of barley

10. The influence of HCH on structural chromosome mutations of barley

11. Structural mutations of barley chromosomes Translocation Deletion Normal Caryotype Ring

12. OBSOLETE PESTICIDE PROBLEM • “Hot spots ” exceeded the Maximum Acceptable Concentrations of DDT metabolites and HCH isomers by the Standards of Kazakhstan. • Observed levels of DDT metabolites and HCH isomers caused chromosomal mutations. • Solution of this problem is necessary.

13. Plant Community Structure (Phytocenosis) • We surveyed vegetation growing at each Hot Point. • Plants that colonize pesticide contaminated sites may have phytoremediation ability.

14. Plant community structure changes with site layout and distance from center of contamination 100 species from 19 families observed from three sites Former Pesticide Storage Site 1Kazakhstan Road Center of Contamination Source: Nurzhanova et al. 2003

15. Center of Contamination Former Pesticide Storage Site 2Kazakhstan Center of Contamination Botanical surveys and ecosystem assessments provide sources for pesticide tolerant species and candidates for phytotechnology applications Source: Nurzhanova et al. 2003

16. Pesticide tolerant species of plants

17. QUESTIONS Regarding Pesticide Tolerant Plants • Do pesticide tolerant plant species growing at hot point show phytoremediation potential by accumulating organochlorine pesticides in plant tissue? • Where is pesticide located within plant tissues?

18. Greenhouse Grown Plants in Soil from Point 1

19. Residual Pesticide in Plant Tissue - Point 2 1- Artemisia annua 2 - Erigeron сanadensis 3 - Xanthium strumarium 4 - Kochia scoparia

20. Location of Accumulated Pesticide in Plant Tissue

21. Hystology of Xanthium strumarium L.root • 1-epidermis, 2-primary cortex, 3-phloem, 4-medullary parenchyma, 5-xylem, 6-sclerenсhyma strands

22. Hystology of Xanthium strumarium L. leaf • 1-upper epidermis, 2-lower epidermis, 3-palisade mesophyll, 4-spongy mesophyll, 5-conducting bundle, 6-trichome

23. Conclusions • 17 of 123 pesticide tolerant plant species. Predominant species were wild and weedy annuals and biannuals. • Some of these tolerant species have the ability to accumulate organochlorine pesticides. • Pesticide concentrations observed at field sites cause chromosome structure mutations in barley. • Pesticides are located in particular plant tissues.

24. Contact Information Dr. Peter A. Kulakow Department of Agronomy Kansas State University 2004 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center Manhattan, KS 66506-5501 USA Phone: 001.785.532.7239 Fax: 001.785.532.6094 Email: kulakow@ksu.edu