This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (49) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sela, M. Articles by Huttermann, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sela, M. Articles by Huttermann, A. Agricola Articles by Sela, M. Articles by Huttermann, A.

Environmental and Stress Physiology

Localization and Toxic Effects of Cadmium, Copper, and Uranium in Azolla¹

Department of Agricultural Botany, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel, Forstbotanisches Institut der Universität Göttingen, Busgenweg 2, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

The storage and distribution of copper, cadmium, and uranium and their effects on ionic contents in roots and shoots of Azolla filiculoides has been studied by x-ray microanalysis. The relative content of copper was eightfold higher in the root than in the shoot, suggesting low mobility of this metal in Azolla plant. Cadmium relative content in the shoot was similar to its content in the root, hence its mobility was relatively high. The absence of significant uranium quantities in the shoot and its relative high content in the root suggest the immobility of this metal from Azolla root. Cadmium formed precipitates with phosphate and calcium in xylem cells of the shoot bundle and caused a two- to threefold increase in the content of phosphate in the root. Uranium in roots and cadmium in shoots were associated with calcium. All three treatments caused losses of potassium, chloride, and magnesium from Azolla roots. Accumulation of heavy metals in Azolla and their mobility from the root to the shoot can be correlated with damage caused by the loss of essential nutrients.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Konno, T. Nakato, S. Nakashima, and K. Katoh Lygodium japonicum fern accumulates copper in the cell wall pectin J. Exp. Bot., July 1, 2005; 56(417): 1923 - 1931. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]