Clonal differences in mercury tolerance, accumulation, and distribution in willow

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 1779 - 1785
• Main Authors: Wang, Y, Greger, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.09.2004; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Accumulation; Adaptation, Physiological; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Analytical chemistry; Applied sciences; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; Cell Wall - chemistry; cell walls; clones; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Environmental quality; Exact sciences and technology; Flowers & plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hybrids; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Mercury; Mercury - pharmacokinetics; Mercury - pharmacology; metal tolerance; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Roots; Salix; Salix - chemistry; Salix schwerinii; Salix viminalis; Shoots; Soil Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Soil Pollutants - pharmacology; soil pollution; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Tissue Distribution; Toxicity; Translocation; translocation (plant physiology); Translocation; Vapor; Sensitivity analysis; Cold; Root; Nutrient solution; Tolerance; Cell wall; Heavy metal; Salicaceae; Pollution; Salix; Dicotyledones; Hydroponic cultivation; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Mercury; Localized; Clone; Atomic absorption spectrometry
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.1779

This study was performed to investigate mercury (Hg) tolerance, accumulation, and translocation within the genus Salix for the potential use of this plant to remediate Hg-contaminated sites. Six clones of willow (Salix spp.) were tested on tolerance to Hg by treating plants grown in solution culture with 0 to 15 micromolar HgCl2. Results showed that willow had a large variation in its sensitivity to Hg. However, the accumulation and translocation of Hg to shoots was similar in the eight tested willow clones as shown by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry analysis when plants were treated with 0.5 micromolar HgCl2 in a nutrient solution. The majority of total Hg accumulated was localized to the roots, whereas only 0.45 to 0.62% of the total Hg accumulated via roots was translocated to the shoots. Thus, the root system is the main tissue of willow that accumulates Hg and the majority of the Hg in the root system (80%) was bound in the cell wall.