Factors affecting the distribution of trace elements in aquatic plants Waterhyacinth

Abstract

Those factors that affect the uptake and distribution of trace metals in aquatic plants are considered and include solubility, utilization and alteration of solubility by naturally occurring chelating agents. The waterhyacinth, which infests waterways in considerable sections of the world, has been used as a model system and the distribution of selected trace metals in three different parts (leaves, stems and roots) of the plant has been determined. Relative concentrations of five metals in the three segments have been related to the solubility (as log K sp of the metal carbonate. Inorganic carbon is likely to be a dominant species in natural waters, though the correlation was tested with solubilities of the sulfates, hydroxides and phosphates, and none correlated as well as a group. The correlation of relative distribuion of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese in plant segments was valid for plants taken from two different rivers at three different times. The correlation did not apply to cobalt(II), and solubility data for cobalt(III) carbonate were not available.