Rhizosphere bacteria enhance the accumulation of selenium and mercury in wetland plants

• Published in: Planta Vol. 209; no. 2; pp. 259 - 263
• Main Authors: De Souza, M.P, Huang, C.P.A, Chee, N, Terry, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 12.08.1999; Springer
• Subjects: ampicillin; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Antibiotics; Autoecology; Bacteria; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biological and medical sciences; bioremediation; Biotechnology; chemical constituents of plants; efficacy; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; inhibition; mercury; Phytoremediation; Plant roots; Plants; Plants and fungi; Polypogon monspeliensis; Rhizosphere; Rhizosphere bacteria; roots; Scirpus; scirpus robustus; Selenium; soil bacteria; species differences; uptake; Vaporizing; Wetland plants; Monocotyledones; Soil pollution; Heavy metal; Rhizosphere; Rhizobacteria; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Cyperaceae; Spermatophyta; Bioremediation; Selenium; Biological accumulation; Mercury; Wetland
• ISSN: 0032-0935; 1432-2048
• DOI: 10.1007/s004250050630

The role of rhizosphere bacteria in facilitating Se and Hg accumulation in two wetland plants, saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus robustus Pursh) and rabbitfoot grass (Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.), was studied. Ampicillin-amended plants (i.e., with inhibited rhizosphere bacteria) supplied with Na(2)SeO(4) or HgCl(2) had significantly lower concentrations of Se and Hg, respectively in roots than plants without ampicillin. These results were confirmed by inoculating axenic saltmarsh bulrush plants with bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of plants collected from the field; these plants accumulated significantly more Se and Hg compared to axenic controls. Therefore, rhizosphere bacteria can increase the efficiency of Se and Hg phytoremediation by promoting the accumulation of Se and Hg in tissues of wetland plants.