Working Group 1 Organic pollutants

Objectives

Organic pollutants: metabolic and enzymatic studies

The first meeting of Working Group 1 was organised by Dr P. J. Harvey, of Greenwich University and held in the Chatham campus of the University of Greenwich on March 4/5th 1999. The meeting was attended by 30 participants from 13 different countries.

It was organised as a general meeting at which participating members were asked to outline the relevant expertise of their research groups and institutions in relation to the overall objectives of the working group.

A summary of the general trends, from existing research programmes, to emerge from the meeting is given below.

Nature of and analytical procedures to detect and quantify pollutants and metabolic products The organic pollutants considered included pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents and nitro-toluene ammunition wastes The need for reliable analytical methods was recognised Established chemical methods were presented Development of fluorescent methods to be used in histochemical detection are being developed

Factors influencing bioavailability Cultural improvements of root biomass Application of imaging techniques to measure root biomass Study of plant/microbial interactions Volatilisation of pollutants

Uptake of pollutants Binding to cell wall versus uptake into the cell Synthesis of binding proteins/molecules Mass transfer between external and internal aqueous phases Absorption and excretion of volatile molecules through leaves

Enzymatic studies Detoxification by conjugation via glutathione, malonyl and glucosyl transferases The involvement of cytochrome P450 and lignin peroxidase in the metabolism of pollutants Development of stable radical cations to mediate oxidative attack Oxidative coupling using plant peroxidases Desirability of developing integrated enzyme systems to completely degrade pollutants

Compartmentation within the plant Need to distinguish between externally bound material and internally metabolisable molecules. Compartmentation of pollutants and metabolites between the cytoplasm and the vacuole Role of membrane transporters involved in the importing and exporting of pollutants and metabolites. Translocation between root and shoot.

The practical application and pilot studies involving plant metabolism Comparative studies involving plant cell culture and whole plants. Use of whole plants in artificial wetlands to clean up waste water The use of transgenic plants to improve the metabolism of pollutants Use of crops to release oxidative enzymes into the soil Comparison of in situ remediation by growing crops or land farming Use of plants as accumulators followed by composting

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