Uptake and fate of organohalogens from contaminated groundwater in woody plants

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:560894

Sytsma, L; Mulder, J; Schneider, J ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); and others

The emerging technology of phytoremediation uses green plants for low-cost, low-tech remediation processes in which selected plants and natural or engineered microorganisms work together to metabolize, convert, absorb, accumulate, sequester, or otherwise render harmless multiple environmental contaminants. For many organic contaminants, such as tricholoroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), there is evidence that plants can degrade a portion of the organohalogen that is taken up to form less volatile compounds, such as trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), which are sequestered in the plant tissue while the remainder is passed out of the leaf tissue with the transpiration stream. Analysis of leaves from trees in uncontaminated areas gives TCAA concentrations that are typically under 100 ng/g TCAA, while in contaminated areas concentrations run as high as 1,000 ng/g. Hybrid poplar plants fed by TCE- and PCE-spiked nutrient solutions in a greenhouse showed elevated TCAA levels in the leaves within a week, as well as evidence for evapotranspiration of the TCE and PCE.

• OSTI ID: 560894
• Report Number(s): CONF-970443--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
LEAVES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
REMEDIAL ACTION
TRANSPIRATION
TREES
UPTAKE