Comparative fate of [14C]trichloroethylene in the root zone of plants from a former solvent disposal site

A comparison of the environmental fate of [{sup 14}]trichloroethylene ([{sup 14}C]TCE) in vegetated and nonvegetated soils from a contaminated field site indicated increased mineralization ({sup 14}CO{sub 2} production) in soils containing vegetation. Mineralization in soils containing Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont), Pinus taeda (L.), Solidago sp. (all collected from a former chlorinated solvent disposal site), and Glycine max, germinated from commercially available seeds, accounted for > 26% of the total recovered radioactivity compared with approximately 15% for nonvegetated soil and < 9% for control (sterile) soil. Uptake of {sup 14}C into plant tissues ranged from 1 to 21% total for leaves (or needles), stems, and roots and appeared to be related to plant species and water use during the experiment. The higher mineralization rates for [{sup 14}C]TCE in the vegetated soils compared with nonvegetated soils indicates that the rhizosphere provides a favorable environment for microbial degradation of organic compounds. Therefore, vegetation may play an important role in enhancing biological remediation of contaminated surface soils in situ.

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