Js. Fletcher et Rs. Hegde, RELEASE OF PHENOLS BY PERENNIAL PLANT-ROOTS AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE IN BIOREMEDIATION, Chemosphere, 31(4), 1995, pp. 3009-3016
Seventeen different plant species grown in sand culture were screened
for their ability to release phenolic compounds from their roots. The
concentration of phenols in the rhizosphere of each species was compar
ed to concentrations of phenols known to support the growth of POE-deg
rading bacteria (Donnelly et al. 1994). It was concluded that the conc
entration throughout the rhizosphere was below substrate levels, but f
or some plant species (i.e. mulberry) there was evidence that portions
of the rhizosphere possessed levels of phenols sufficiently high enou
gh to support microbial growth.