Aquatic Plants for Toxicity Assessment

• Published in: Environmental Research Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 259 - 274
• Main Authors: Mohan, B.S., Hosetti, B.B.
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.11.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fresh water environment; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Plants; Toxicity Tests - methods; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; India; Laboratory study; Evaluation; Monocotyledones; Lemnaceae; Toxicity; Algae; Review; Eutrophication; Lemna minor; Freshwater environment; Pollution; Investigation method; Test; Ecosystem; Angiospermae; Water quality; Spermatophyta; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1006/enrs.1999.3960

A critical review is presented of the methodology of phytoremediation techniques for aquatic pollution abatement. Particular emphasis has been given to ecotoxicological studies. The methodological problems associated with the use of algae and vascular plants are discussed. These include an inability to extrapolate laboratory-derived results to the real environment, inappropriateness of tests which do not encompass the phytotoxic effects of most municipal and industrial effluents, lack of sensitivity of recommended test species, variations in light intensity, temperature and pH which affect test results, adaptivity of plants (duckweed, for example) and lack of comparative data between test species. The standardization of test methods using seeds is not yet completed. The most successful methodological development towards environmental remediation may involve the development and use of genetically modified plants. There are 189 references.