Wetland plant uptake of desorption-resistant organic compounds from sediments.
Wetland plant uptake of 14C-labeled phenanthrene and chlorobenzene was investigated in greenhouse studies using sediment prepared to contain only the desorption-resistant fraction of the contaminant. Measurements of contaminant distribution in the plants and root-contaminant partition coefficients were conducted as well as estimates of the transpiration stream concentration of chlorobenzene and phenanthrene. Plant uptake of desorption-resistant phenanthrene and chlorobenzene occurred primarily in the root zone with total uptake ranging from 3.8 to 5.7% of the initial concentration in the sediment. Observed uptake of the compounds was remarkably similar despite wide differences in contaminant properties. A biphasic sorption isotherm was combined with a simple translocation model to predict plant uptake from two processes: root sorption and translocation. The model predicted the observed uptake well and may serve as an important tool for estimating plant uptake in sediments containing a desorption-resistant fraction. The potential implications of the existence of a finite, desorption-resistant pool of contaminants on phytoremediation of sediments are discussed.
Gomez-Hermosillo
Cesar
C
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the Gordon A. and Mary Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Pardue
John H
JH
Reible
Danny D
DD
D000327:Adsorption; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002722:Chlorobenzenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002722:Chlorobenzenes; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C031181:phenanthrene; C031294:chlorobenzene