Standardized plant cell suspension test systems for an ecotoxicologic evaluation of the metabolic fate of xenobiotics

Abstract

A rapid assay for the metabolic behaviour of organic chemicals in plants has been developed using soybean ( Glycine max L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cell suspension cultures. The test was performed with the following 14C-labelled compounds: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-chloroaniline (4-CA), 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA), pentachlorophenol (PCP), diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), perylene (PR) and benzo[ a]pyrene (BaP), which were applied at 1 mg · 1 −1 for 48 h during the logarithmic growth phase. All chemicals were catabolized The predominant fractions found were polar conjugates and non-extractable (bound) residues, with significantly less non-polar conversion products. Soybean cells often released large amounts of polar conjugates into the medium while in wheat cultures metabolites were mainly cell-associated. High rates of pentachlorophenol and chlorinated aniline incorporation into non-extractable residues were found in wheat suspension cells.