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Uptake of Cadmium and Lead by a Rooted Aquatic Macrophyte (Elodea Canadensis)
Author(s) -
Mayes Roger A.,
MacIntosh Alan W.,
Anderson Virgil L.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1936940
Subject(s) - elodea canadensis , macrophyte , cadmium , aquatic plant , sediment , environmental chemistry , hydrocharitaceae , aquatic ecosystem , environmental science , chemistry , ecology , biology , paleontology , organic chemistry
The role of roots in the uptake of nonessential trace metals by aquatic macrophytes was investigated Elodea canadensis. Plants were grown in 2 lakes in which metal concentrations in the water differed. Specimens in each lake were anchored in either control sediment or in sediment contaminated with Cd and Pb. Plants grown in the same water but in sediment from different sources had significantly different concentrations of the 2 metals. Elodea samples rooted in sediments from the same source but grown in water with different levels of metals also accumulated significantly different amounts of Cd and Pb. Thus the importance of both sediment and the surrounding water as sources of metals for aquatic plants was demonstrated. Samples grown in water and sediment containing low levels of metals had minimal concentrations of 0.32 mg/g Cd and 5.2 mg/g Pb, while plants grown in metal—contaminated water and sediment accumulated up to 32.33 mg Cd/g and 160.9 mg Pb/g.