Removing heavy metals by in vitro cultures

Abstract

In vitro roots cultures of Typha latifolia and Scirpus americanus aquatic plants have the capacity to remove Pb (II), Mn (II), and Cr (III) from the culture medium. Both species remove Cr and Pb by an absorption process, while Mn is mainly adsorbed to the root surface. This chapter describes a protocol for the establishment of in vitro roots cultures (nontransformed) from T. latifolia and S. americanus, and the procedure for the uptake analysis of Pb (II), Mn (II), and Cr (III) by roots.