An Examination of Trichloroethylene Degradation in Populus Cells of Suspension Culture

Abstract

　For an examination of application to trichloroethylene (TCE) phytoremediation in various plant species suitable for wide area in the world, we examined efficiency of a method of screening plant species for ability of TCE phytoremediation, by investigating possibility of TCE degradation in Populus cells of suspension culture. The callus derived from a leaf of Populus nigra var. Italica was grown in MS medium of suspension culture, and TCE was added into the medium. Viability of the Populus cells did not depressed even in the TCE-added medium. At a few days after the TCE treatment, n-hexane extracts of the treated cells and the medium were qualitatively analysed by a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, and trichloroethanol (TCOH; an intermediate of TCE in an aerobic bio-degradation) was detected. The intermediate was also detected even when the cells were crushed and then treated TCE, and the degradation ceased by boiling the cell-crushed solution. This fact suggests that TCE in the medium in the Populus suspension culture is degraded through a certain enzyme process of the living cells. Thus, this experimental procedure can be applicable to screening of the useful plant species for TCE phytoremediation.