title: Foliar trichome-aided formaldehyde uptake in the epiphytic Tillandsia velutina and its response to formaldehyde pollution.
abstract: Epiphytic Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) species have been found to be efficient biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, but have not been used to monitor or remove the primary indoor atmospheric pollutant formaldehyde (FA). The absorptive capacity of Tillandsia trichomes is well-established, but potential secondary effects of foliar trichomes on gas exchange remain unclear. Our study investigated whether Tillandsia species can absorb FA efficiently and if the leaf trichomes function to improve FA uptake, using Tillandsia velutina. Plants with intact trichomes, decreased FA concentration by 48.42% in 12 h from 1060 μg m(-3) to 546.67 μg m(-3), while FA concentration decreased only by 22.51% in the plants without trichomes. Moreover, the more trichomes removed from the leaves, the lower the capability of FA uptake per unit leaf area, which suggested that T. velutina was capable of absorbing a large amount of FA via the leaves and specialized trichomes facilitated the whole leaf tissue FA absorption. In addition, all plants exposed to FA were chloric, had a reduction in measured leaf chlorophyll, and an increment in permeability of plasma membranes. However, plants in which trichomes had been removed declined or increased more quickly than plants with intact trichomes, indicating Tillandsia leaf trichomes also give the leaves some protection against this toxin.
authors.affiliation: College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pemberton
authors.affiliation: College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China. Electronic address: pengleep@163.com.
authors.forename: Guiling
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism*; D031232:Tillandsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D064201:Trichomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002734:Chlorophyll; D005557:Formaldehyde
keywords: Air plant; Formaldehyde pollution; Indoor air quality; Phytoremediation