The ability of agricultural and decorative plants to
absorb and detoxify TNT and RDX has been studied. All tested 8
plants, grown hydroponically, were able to absorb these explosives
from water solutions: Alfalfa > Soybean > Chickpea> Chikling vetch
>Ryegrass > Mung bean> China bean > Maize. Differently from
TNT, RDX did not exhibit negative influence on seed germination
and plant growth. Moreover, some plants, exposed to RDX
containing solution were increased in their biomass by 20%. Study of
the fate of absorbed [1-14ðí]-TNT revealed the label distribution in
low and high-molecular mass compounds, both in roots and above
ground parts of plants, prevailing in the later. Content of 14ðí in lowmolecular
compounds in plant roots are much higher than in above
ground parts. On the contrary, high-molecular compounds are more
intensively labeled in aboveground parts of soybean. Most part (up to
70%) of metabolites of TNT, formed either by enzymatic reduction
or oxidation, is found in high molecular insoluble conjugates.
Activation of enzymes, responsible for reduction, oxidation and
conjugation of TNT, such as nitroreductase, peroxidase,
phenoloxidase and glutathione S-transferase has been demonstrated.
Among these enzymes, only nitroreductase was shown to be induced
in alfalfa, exposed to RDX. The increase in malate dehydrogenase
activities in plants, exposed to both explosives, indicates
intensification of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle, that generates reduced
equivalents of NAD(P)H, necessary for functioning of the
nitroreductase. The hypothetic scheme of TNT metabolism in plants
is proposed.
[1] Adamia, G., Ghoghoberidze, M., Graves, D., Khatisashvili, G.,
Kvesitadze, G., Lomidze, E., Ugrekhelidze, D., Zaalishvili, G.
"Absorption, distribution and transformation of TNT in higher plants,"
Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol.64, pp. 136-145, 2006.
[2] Arnon, D.I. "Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts.
Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgares", Plant Physiol., vol. 24, pp. 1-15,
1949.
[3] Best, E.P.H., Sprecher, S.L., Larson, S.L., Fredrickson, H.L., Bader, D.F.
"Environmental behavior and fate of explosives from groundwater from
the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in aquatic and wetland plant
treatments. Uptake and fate of TNT and RDX in plants". Chemosphere,
vol. 39, pp. 2057-2072, 1999.
[4] Betsiashvili M., Sadunishvili T., Amashukeli N., Kuprava N.,
Tsulukidze N. "Effect of different concentrations of alkanes on maize,
ryegrass and kidney bean seedlings", Proc. Georgian Acad. Sci., Biol.
Ser. B, 2, pp. 1-5, 2004.
[5] Bradford, M.M. "A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of
microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye
binding", Anal. Biochem., vol. 59, pp. 277-282, 1974.
[6] Esteve-N├║ňez. A., Caballero, A., Ramos, J.L. "Biological degradation of
2,4,6-trinitrotoluene", Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., vol. 65, pp. 335-352,
2001.
[7] Gregory, R.P.F. "A rapid assay for peroxidase activity", Biochem. J. vol.
101, pp. 582-583, 1966.
[8] Harms, H., Bokern, M., Kolb, M., Bock, C. "Transformation of organic
contaminants by different plant systems", in Phytoremediation.
Transfor¬mation and control of contaminants, McCutcheon, S.C.,
Schnoor, J.L. Eds. Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2003, pp.
285-316, 2003.
[9] Kvesitadze, G., Khatisashvili, G., Sadunishvili, T., Ramsden, J.J.
Biochemical Mechanisms of Detoxification in Higher Plants. Basis of
Phytoremediation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2006.
[10] Lanzarini, G., Pifferi, P.G., Zamorani, A. "Specificity of an o-diphenol
oxidase from Prunus avium fruits". Phytochemistry, vol. 11, pp. 89-94,
1972.
[11] McCormick, N.G. Cornell, J.H., Kaplan, A.M. "Biodegradation of
hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine". Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol.
5, pp. 817-823, 1981.
[12] Oh, B., Sarath, G., Drijber, R.A., Comfort, S.D. "Rapid
spectrophotometric determination of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in a
Pseudomonas enzyme assay", Microbiol. Methods, vol. 42, pp.149-158,
2000.
[13] Pavlostathis, S.G., Comstock, K. K., Jacobson, M., Saunders, F. M.
"Transformation of 2.4.6-trinitrotoluene by the aquatic plant
Myriophillum spicatum". Environ. Toxicol. Chem., vol.17, pp. 2266-
2273, 1998.
[14] Robidoux, P. Y., J. Hawari, S. Thiboutot, G. Ampleman, and G. I.
Sunahara. "Acute toxicity of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in earthworm (Eisenia
andrei)". Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol.44, pp. 311-321, 1999.
[15] Sadunishvili, T., Nutsubidze, N., Kvesitadze, G. "Effect of methionine
sulfoximine on nitrogen metabolism and externally supplied ammonium
assimilation in Kidney bean". Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol. 34, pp. 70-
75, 1996.
[16] Schoenmuth, B.W., Pestemer, W. "Dendroremediation of trinitrotoluene
(TNT) Part 2: Fate of radio-labelled TNT in trees", Environ. Sci. Pollut.
Res., vol. 11, pp. 331-339, 2004.
[17] Schröder, P., Juuti, S., Roy, S., Sandermann, H. and Sutinen, S.
"Exposure to chlorinated acetic acids: Responses of peroxidase and
glutathione S-transferase activity in pine needles", Environ. Sci. Pollut.
Res. Vol 4, pp. 163-171, 1997.
[18] Sch├╝tte, H.R. Radioaktive Isotope in der organischen Chemie und
Biochemie. Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin, pp. 28-31,
1966.
[19] Shapiro, B.M., Stadtman, E.R. "Regulation of glutamine synthetase. IX.
Reactivity of the sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme from Escherichia
coli", J. Biol. Chem., vol. 242, pp. 5069-5079, 1967.
[20] Tsao, D.T. Phytoremediation. Advances in Biochemical Engineering and
Biotechnology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2003.
[21] Van Aken, B., Yoon, J.M,, Just, C.L., Schnoor, J.L. "Metabolism and
mineralization of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine inside poplar
tissues (Populus deltoides x nigra DN-34)", Environ. Sci. Technol., vol.
38, pp. 4572-4579, 2004.
[22] Vanderford M., Shanks J. V., Hughes J.B. "Phytotransformation of
trinitrotoulene (TNT) and distribution of metabolic products in
Myriophillumaquaticum". Biotechnol. Lett., vol. 19, pp. 277-280, 1997.
[1] Adamia, G., Ghoghoberidze, M., Graves, D., Khatisashvili, G.,
Kvesitadze, G., Lomidze, E., Ugrekhelidze, D., Zaalishvili, G.
"Absorption, distribution and transformation of TNT in higher plants,"
Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol.64, pp. 136-145, 2006.
[2] Arnon, D.I. "Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts.
Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgares", Plant Physiol., vol. 24, pp. 1-15,
1949.
[3] Best, E.P.H., Sprecher, S.L., Larson, S.L., Fredrickson, H.L., Bader, D.F.
"Environmental behavior and fate of explosives from groundwater from
the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in aquatic and wetland plant
treatments. Uptake and fate of TNT and RDX in plants". Chemosphere,
vol. 39, pp. 2057-2072, 1999.
[4] Betsiashvili M., Sadunishvili T., Amashukeli N., Kuprava N.,
Tsulukidze N. "Effect of different concentrations of alkanes on maize,
ryegrass and kidney bean seedlings", Proc. Georgian Acad. Sci., Biol.
Ser. B, 2, pp. 1-5, 2004.
[5] Bradford, M.M. "A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of
microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye
binding", Anal. Biochem., vol. 59, pp. 277-282, 1974.
[6] Esteve-N├║ňez. A., Caballero, A., Ramos, J.L. "Biological degradation of
2,4,6-trinitrotoluene", Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., vol. 65, pp. 335-352,
2001.
[7] Gregory, R.P.F. "A rapid assay for peroxidase activity", Biochem. J. vol.
101, pp. 582-583, 1966.
[8] Harms, H., Bokern, M., Kolb, M., Bock, C. "Transformation of organic
contaminants by different plant systems", in Phytoremediation.
Transfor¬mation and control of contaminants, McCutcheon, S.C.,
Schnoor, J.L. Eds. Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2003, pp.
285-316, 2003.
[9] Kvesitadze, G., Khatisashvili, G., Sadunishvili, T., Ramsden, J.J.
Biochemical Mechanisms of Detoxification in Higher Plants. Basis of
Phytoremediation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2006.
[10] Lanzarini, G., Pifferi, P.G., Zamorani, A. "Specificity of an o-diphenol
oxidase from Prunus avium fruits". Phytochemistry, vol. 11, pp. 89-94,
1972.
[11] McCormick, N.G. Cornell, J.H., Kaplan, A.M. "Biodegradation of
hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine". Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol.
5, pp. 817-823, 1981.
[12] Oh, B., Sarath, G., Drijber, R.A., Comfort, S.D. "Rapid
spectrophotometric determination of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in a
Pseudomonas enzyme assay", Microbiol. Methods, vol. 42, pp.149-158,
2000.
[13] Pavlostathis, S.G., Comstock, K. K., Jacobson, M., Saunders, F. M.
"Transformation of 2.4.6-trinitrotoluene by the aquatic plant
Myriophillum spicatum". Environ. Toxicol. Chem., vol.17, pp. 2266-
2273, 1998.
[14] Robidoux, P. Y., J. Hawari, S. Thiboutot, G. Ampleman, and G. I.
Sunahara. "Acute toxicity of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in earthworm (Eisenia
andrei)". Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol.44, pp. 311-321, 1999.
[15] Sadunishvili, T., Nutsubidze, N., Kvesitadze, G. "Effect of methionine
sulfoximine on nitrogen metabolism and externally supplied ammonium
assimilation in Kidney bean". Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., vol. 34, pp. 70-
75, 1996.
[16] Schoenmuth, B.W., Pestemer, W. "Dendroremediation of trinitrotoluene
(TNT) Part 2: Fate of radio-labelled TNT in trees", Environ. Sci. Pollut.
Res., vol. 11, pp. 331-339, 2004.
[17] Schröder, P., Juuti, S., Roy, S., Sandermann, H. and Sutinen, S.
"Exposure to chlorinated acetic acids: Responses of peroxidase and
glutathione S-transferase activity in pine needles", Environ. Sci. Pollut.
Res. Vol 4, pp. 163-171, 1997.
[18] Sch├╝tte, H.R. Radioaktive Isotope in der organischen Chemie und
Biochemie. Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin, pp. 28-31,
1966.
[19] Shapiro, B.M., Stadtman, E.R. "Regulation of glutamine synthetase. IX.
Reactivity of the sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme from Escherichia
coli", J. Biol. Chem., vol. 242, pp. 5069-5079, 1967.
[20] Tsao, D.T. Phytoremediation. Advances in Biochemical Engineering and
Biotechnology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2003.
[21] Van Aken, B., Yoon, J.M,, Just, C.L., Schnoor, J.L. "Metabolism and
mineralization of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine inside poplar
tissues (Populus deltoides x nigra DN-34)", Environ. Sci. Technol., vol.
38, pp. 4572-4579, 2004.
[22] Vanderford M., Shanks J. V., Hughes J.B. "Phytotransformation of
trinitrotoulene (TNT) and distribution of metabolic products in
Myriophillumaquaticum". Biotechnol. Lett., vol. 19, pp. 277-280, 1997.
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:64359", author = "G. Khatisashvili and M. Gordeziani and G. Adamia and E. Kvesitadze and T. Sadunishvili and G. Kvesitadze", title = "Higher Plants Ability to Assimilate Explosives", abstract = "The ability of agricultural and decorative plants to
absorb and detoxify TNT and RDX has been studied. All tested 8
plants, grown hydroponically, were able to absorb these explosives
from water solutions: Alfalfa > Soybean > Chickpea> Chikling vetch
>Ryegrass > Mung bean> China bean > Maize. Differently from
TNT, RDX did not exhibit negative influence on seed germination
and plant growth. Moreover, some plants, exposed to RDX
containing solution were increased in their biomass by 20%. Study of
the fate of absorbed [1-14ðí]-TNT revealed the label distribution in
low and high-molecular mass compounds, both in roots and above
ground parts of plants, prevailing in the later. Content of 14ðí in lowmolecular
compounds in plant roots are much higher than in above
ground parts. On the contrary, high-molecular compounds are more
intensively labeled in aboveground parts of soybean. Most part (up to
70%) of metabolites of TNT, formed either by enzymatic reduction
or oxidation, is found in high molecular insoluble conjugates.
Activation of enzymes, responsible for reduction, oxidation and
conjugation of TNT, such as nitroreductase, peroxidase,
phenoloxidase and glutathione S-transferase has been demonstrated.
Among these enzymes, only nitroreductase was shown to be induced
in alfalfa, exposed to RDX. The increase in malate dehydrogenase
activities in plants, exposed to both explosives, indicates
intensification of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle, that generates reduced
equivalents of NAD(P)H, necessary for functioning of the
nitroreductase. The hypothetic scheme of TNT metabolism in plants
is proposed.", keywords = "Higher plants, TNT, RDX, transformation.", volume = "3", number = "9", pages = "534-6", }
