Uptake and Biotransformation of Trichloroethylene by Hybrid Poplars

Abstract

Poplar trees were found to be capable of taking up trichloroethylene (TCE) and degrading it to several known metabolic products: trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid, and dichloracetic acid. Poplars were also shown to transpire TCE in measurable amounts. To eliminate the possibility that the degradation we observed was produced solely by rhizosphere organisms, axenic poplar tumor cell cultures were tested; the cultures produced the same intermediate metabolic products. When dosed with [14C]TCE, cell cultures also produced low levels of radiolabeled carbon dioxide and a labeled insoluble residue. These results show that significant TCE uptake and biotransformation occurs in poplar, which demonstrates the potential for the use of poplars for in situ remediation of TCE.

Enhanced metabolism of halogenated hydrocarbons in transgenic plants containing mammalian cytochrome P450 2E1

“…Plants have been shown to take up and, in some cases, to metabolize organic pollutants (6), excess nutrients (6, 7), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) (8,9), and metals (10,11). Work in our laboratory has demonstrated that poplar trees are able to take up and metabolize TCE both under laboratory conditions and in a field test (12)(13)(14).…”

Movement of Chlorinated Solvents and Other Volatile Organics Through Plants Monitored by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectrometry

“…Poplars have been grown for relatively long periods of time with up to 50 mg/L TCE in groundwater below the trees (Newman et al, 1997) and transpirational release of TCE is observed from these trees. The amounts reported are quite small and cannot be directly related to the input levels because of technical difficulties in the transpiration measurement.…”

Phytoremediation of Metal (PB, NI, ZN, CD and CR) Contaminated Soils Using Canna Indica

“…Organic pollutants include solvents like trichloroethylene (TCE) 2 , herbicides, atrazine 3 . Inorganic pollutants include plant macronutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, micronutrients, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn and nonessential elements, As, Cd, Co, F, Hg, Se, Pb, V and radionuclides, 238U, 137Cs and 90Sr 4 .…”