Mathematical Model to Simulate the Transfer of Heavy Metals from Soil to Plant

Petru Cârdei, Cătălina Tudora, Valentin Vlăduț, Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu, Iuliana Găgeanu, Dan Cujbescu, Despina-Maria Bordean, Nicoleta Ungureanu, George Ipate and Oana Diana Cristea
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Petru Cârdei: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Cătălina Tudora: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Valentin Vlăduț: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Iuliana Găgeanu: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Dan Cujbescu: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Despina-Maria Bordean: Faculty of Food Engineering, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timisoara, 300645 Timișoara, Romania
Nicoleta Ungureanu: Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 006042 Bucharest, Romania
George Ipate: Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 006042 Bucharest, Romania
Oana Diana Cristea: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry—INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements, but their various applications have led to their wide circulation in the environment, raising concerns over their latent effects on the environment and human health. Their toxicity depends on numerous factors, including chemical species, concentration of heavy metal ions, environmental factors, etc. Experimental studies on the single or cumulative effects of heavy metals on plants are complex, time consuming and difficult to conduct. An alternative is mathematical modeling, which can include different factors into an integrated system and can predict plant and environmental behavior under multiple stressors. This paper presents a mathematical model that simulates the dependence of temperature, concentration of Zn in the soil and the subsequent bioaccumulation in lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.); respectively, the reaction of lettuce to Zn contamination. The main results consist of three mathematical models, based on systems of ordinary differential equations and checking their predictions with available experimental data. The models are applied to predict an optimal harvest time of lettuce with low concentration of Zn, in identifying the availability of the analyzed species to phytoremediation operations and the possibility of maneuvering certain control factors to reduce or increase the intensity of the bioaccumulation process.

Keywords: environment; soil contamination; green lettuce; zinc bioaccumulation; risks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6157-:d:565522

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