Journal of Environmental Biology

Phytotoxicity of cadmium on the physiological dynamics of Salvinia natans  L. grown in macrophyte ponds

 

B.S. Mohan¹ and B.B. Hosetti²

¹Department of Biotechnology, R.V. Collegeof Engineering, Mysore Road, Bangalore - 560 059, India

²Department of Zoology, Kuvempu University, Shimoga -577 451, India

 

(Received: 11 February, 2005 ; Accepted: 28 June, 2005)

 

 

Abstract: The objective of this experiment is to study the potential ability of Salvinia natans L. to use in phytoassay for the cadmium toxicity in ecotoxicological studies. It is a simple and cost competitive method. The sensitivity of S. natans in terms of biochemical changes and enzyme activities to Cd²⁺ was remarkably noticeable. The catalase and protease activity was significantly decreased in the presence of cadmium, with increase of  peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. The level of protein, carbohydrate and chlorophyll decreased and proline content increased in plants. The maximum permissible concentration of cadmium in different  general water quality standards  was evaluated and found that cadmium standard is not stringent enough.

 

Key words: Cadmium, Bioremediation, S. natans, Bioassay.

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