Aquatic macrophytes as biomonitors of pollution by textile industry

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 82 - 96
• Main Authors: SAMECKA-CYMERMAN, A, KEMPERS, A. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer-Verlag 01.07.2002
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; biomonitoring; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fresh Water - chemistry; Fresh water environment; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Industrial Waste - analysis; Plants - chemistry; Plants - metabolism; Poland; Textiles; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Xenobiotics - analysis; Xenobiotics - metabolism; Poland; Europe; Sulfide dye; Polygonaceae; Biological indicator; Rivers; Heavy metal; Freshwater environment; Industrial waste water; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Stream; Water pollution; Aquatic plant; Textile industry
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-002-0013-x

Aquatic plants play a crucial functional role in aquatic ecosystems by taking up, storing, releasing and depositing nutrients (Fairchild et al. 1998). These plants may be able to serve as a sink for toxic chemicals, removing and possibly metabolising them before they can impact these and other biota in the ecosystem (Karen et al. 1998). Aquatic macrophytes have also aroused great interest because of their ability to sequester heavy metals (Lee et al. 1998) and have been commonly recommended for use in regulatory testing (Fairchild et al. 1998). Anthropogenic disturbance, such as the introduction of toxicants into aquatic systems, can alter the structure and function of their communities (Fairchild et al. 1998). Investigations of macrohydrophytes have reveiled spatial differences and time trends in concentrations of heavy metals which are valuable for the identification of sources of pollution (Berg and Steinnes 1997; Viskari et al. 1997).