Effects of plants on the biodegradation of pyrene, pentachlorophenol, and phenanthrene in soil
- Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)
- PhytoKinetics, Logan, UT (United States)
Plants have profound effects on physical, chemical, and biological processes in soils. Quantitative information describing the effects of vegetation on the fate of organic chemicals in soils is needed to increase the general understanding of the fate process and evaluate the potential use of plants in enhancing the remediation of contaminated soils. This study was designed to examine rates and extent of degradation by the plant/soil system, as well as plant uptake, accumulation and metabolism, for pyrene, pentachlorophenol and phenanthrene. A flow-through system, consisting of six modules, was designed to accommodate rapid flow rates through the plant growth chamber. Rapid flow rates prevent condensation in the chamber and also prevent the unnatural accumulation of volatile compounds in the chamber air. Each system module consisted of planted or unplanted soil covered with a glass bell jar, through which passed a continuous stream of air. Six such modules ran simultaneously, three each for the planted and unplanted systems. Radiolabeled ({sup 14}C) and non-radiolabeled aromatic hydrocarbons, dissolved in ethanol, were added to the soil to yield a concentration of approximately 100 mg/g dry weight of soil. Concentrations of the {sup 14}C labeled test compounds in the vapor, plant and soil phases were determined, after appropriate extraction and/or concentration techniques, by liquid scintillation counting. Using the system and procedures described above, the authors found that the extent of mineralization of the pentachlorophenol was significantly greater in the rhizosphere soil than in the unplanted soil. In the case of pyrene, the extent of mineralization was the same in the planted and unplanted systems, while the observed acclimation period was significantly shorter in the planted system. For phenanthrene, rate and extent of mineralization was the essentially equivalent in both systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 242392
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9626%%220
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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