In order to evaluate the usefulness of O. javanica for the phytoremediation, it was grown for 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 days and was exposed to 50 ¥ìM of CdCl©ü in hydroponic medium after 3 weeks. Its biomass and contents of chlorophylls were analyzed. The growth of O. javanica showed little difference between cadmium treated and non-treated groups, while its contents of chlorophylls of Cd-treated group decreased up to 50% compared to the case of non-treated group. Its accumulated cadmium concentrations were 2.1, 7.3 and 113 ¥ìmoles Cd/g dry weight in the leaf, stem and root, respectively. The total contents of thiol increased 0.5, 1 and 7 times in the leaf, stem and root, respectively, while the contents of glutathione tended to decrease by 43%, 70% and 47% in the leaf, stem and root, respectively. Using HPLC analysis, the reasonable peaks of thiol compounds in shoot and root of Cd-treated sample were compared to those of non-treated sample in O. javanica, and found to be phytochelatins. In case of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi tested as control plant, the cadmium treatment for 3 weeks resulted in the decrease of both biomass and chlorophyll up to 70% and 75%, respectively. The roots of tobacco became rotten and eventually died. These results suggested that Oenanthe javanica is cadmium-tolerant hyperaccumulator.
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