Uptake and transformation of some water phenolic pollutants by common duckweed (Lemna minor L.)

Common duckweed (Lemna minor L.) plants absorb and utilize U C-14-phenol, U C-14-o-nitrophenol, or U C-14-hydroquinone. The uptake consists of an init ial absorption phase that is complete after the first hour, followed by a s lower, constant uptake phase. All three phenols penetrate into the cell pre dominantly as non-dissociated molecules. The most part of absorbed phenolic compound binds with low-molecular weight peptides and proteins, and la sma ll part is transformed via cleavage of an aromatic ring.