Detoxification of Cyanide by Woody Plants

Vascular plants possess an enzyme system that detoxifies cyanide by converting it to the amino acid asparagine. This paper examines the potential of three woody plants from the Salicaceae family to degrade cyanide. Pre-rooted trees were grown in carefully designed bioreactors with aqueous solution s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 2005-08, Vol.49 (2), p.150-154
Main Authors: Yu, X, Zhou, P, Liu, Y, Hu, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acids
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Aqueous solutions
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biological and medical sciences
Biomass
Bioreactors
Detoxification
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental Pollutants - analysis
Environmental Pollutants - toxicity
Flowers & plants
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Microbial degradation
Models, Biological
Photolysis
Plant species
Plant tissues
Populus - chemistry
Populus - growth & development
Potassium Cyanide - analysis
Potassium Cyanide - toxicity
Salicaceae
Salix - chemistry
Salix - growth & development
Species Specificity
Woody plants
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Summary:Vascular plants possess an enzyme system that detoxifies cyanide by converting it to the amino acid asparagine. This paper examines the potential of three woody plants from the Salicaceae family to degrade cyanide. Pre-rooted trees were grown in carefully designed bioreactors with aqueous solution spiked with potassium cyanide at 23.0 +/- 1 degree C for a maximum of 144 h. Cyanide concentrations ranged from 0.95 to 1.15 CN mg/L. Cyanide in water and in plant tissues was analyzed spectrophotometrically. Results from the investigation indicated that significant reduction of aqueous cyanide was found during the presence of plants in all treatments. Little amounts of applied cyanide were detected in the tissues of plants, mainly in roots and bottom stem. Cyanide remaining in tissues varied with the species of plants, despite similar periods of exposure. The data also indicated that photolysis, hydrolysis, and microbial degradation were not occurring and that volatilization was minimal. In conclusion, transport and metabolism of cyanide in plants is most likely.
ISSN:0090-4341
1432-0703
DOI:10.1007/s00244-004-0129-6