title: Biodegradation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene by different plant species.
abstract: Over the past century, rapid growth of population, mining and industrialization significantly contributed to extensive soil, air and water contamination. The 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), used mostly as explosive, belongs to the hazardous xenobiotics. Soils and waters contaminated with 2,4-DNT may be cleaned by phytoremediation using suitable plant species. The ability of crop plants (hemp, flax, sunflower and mustard) to germinate and grow on soils contaminated with 2,4-DNT was compared. Stimulation of their growth was found at 0.252 mg/g 2,4-DNT. The lethal concentration for the growth for these species was around 1 mg/g. In hydropony, the above mentioned species were able to survive 200 mg/l 2,4-DNT, the concentration close to maximal solubility of 2,4-DNT in water. Metabolism of 2,4-DNT was tested using suspension culture of soapwort and reed. The degradation products 2-aminonitrotoluene and 4-aminonitrotoluene were found both in the medium and in the acetone extract of plant cells. The test showed that the toxicity of these metabolites was higher than the toxicity of the parent compound, but 2,4-diaminotoluene, the product of next reduction step, was less toxic in the concentration range tested (0-200 mg/l).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnologies, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Podlipná
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Blanka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pospíšilová
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnologies, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha 6, Czech Republic. Electronic address: vanek@ueb.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Tomáš
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaněk
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000378:metabolism*; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C016403:2,4-dinitrotoluene
keywords: 2,4-Dinitrotoluene; Degradation; Phytoremediation; Phytotoxicity