The role of roots in the accumulation and removal of cadmium by the aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata.

Aquatic macrophytes can absorb heavy metals either from sediments via the root system, from the water phase by leaves, or from both sources. In this study, cadmium accumulation and distribution in the aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata were investigated, with a focus on the role of roots. Results showed that leaves of H. verticillata had a higher Cd concentration than roots when intact plants were grown in sediments and solutions containing Cd. Cadmium can significantly decrease the leaf chlorophyll content, and the leaves of intact plants with roots had lower chlorophyll contents than the leaves of detached ones without roots due to the transfer effect of roots. The majority of the Cd accumulated in leaves of H. verticillata was bound to the cell walls. When roots were submerged in a solution containing Cd, with shoots in a control solution without Cd, the Cd concentrations in leaves were considerably lower than in roots. In contrast, Cd was almost undetectable in roots when the shoots were submerged in a solution containing Cd, with roots in the control solution. Compared to the leaves and stems of detached shoots without roots, the concentrations of Cd were much higher in the leaves and stems of intact plants with roots. It is suggested that the roots of intact plants absorb Cd and transfer it to leaves and that more Cd is removed from the solution by intact plants.