Induced lead binding phytochelatins in Brassica juncea and Sesuvium portulacastrum investigated by orthogonal chromatography inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry

The accumulation and transport of lead in Brassica juncea and Sesuvium portulacastrum plants and the possible formation of complexes of this element with bioligands such as phytochelatins was studied in roots and shoots of plants exposed to different amounts of Pb(NO3)2. Speciation studies on the plant extracts were conducted using size exclusion liquid chromatography and ion pair liquid chromatography coupled to UV and ICP-MS to monitor lead and sulphur. The identification of the species separated by chromatography was performed by MALDI-TOF-MS. In both types of exposed plants it was possible to identify the presence of the phytochelatin isoform PC3. The results obtained suggest that both types of plants can be useful in studies of phytoremediation but the ability of S. portulacastrum to accumulate and redistribute Pb from root to shoot is more effective than B. juncea.