Ascorbate: A Biomarker of Herbicide Stress in Wetland Plants

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1997

Department

Marine Science

Abstract

In laboratory exposures of wetland plants to low herbicide levels (<0.1 μg/mL), some plants showed increased total ascorbic acid suggesting a stimulatory effect on ascorbic acid synthesis occurred; at higher herbicide concentrations (≥0.1 μg/mL) a notable decline in total ascorbic acid and increase in the oxidized form, dehydroascorbic acid occurred. Vigna luteola and Sesbania vesicaria were exposed for 7 and 21 days respectively to atrazine (0.05 to 1 μg/mL); Spartina alterniflora 28 days at 0.1 μg/mL trifluralin; Hibiscus moscheutos 14 days at 0.1 and 1 μg/mL metolachlor in fresh and brackish water. The greatest increase following low dosage occurred with S. alterniflora, increasing from <600 μg/g wet wt. total ascorbic acid to >1000 μg/g. Ascorbic acid may be a promising biomarker of estuarine plants exposed to herbicide runoff; stimulation of ascorbic acid synthesis may enable some wetland plants used in phytoremediation to cope with low levels of these compounds.

Publication Title

ACS Symposium Series

Volume

664

First Page

106

Last Page

113

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