ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Assessment of in vitro Multiplication of Lemna
minor in the Presence of Phenol: Plant/Bacteria
System for Potential Bioremediation – Part I
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1
Institute for Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Njegoševa 12, Belgrade, Serbia
2
Department for Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Bulevar Despota Stefana 152, Belgrade, Serbia
3
Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Zeleni bulevar 35, Bor, Serbia
4
Institute of General and Physical Chemistry, Studentski Trg 12-16, Belgrade, Serbia
5
Faculty of Engineering and International Management, Carigradska 28, Belgrade, Serbia
Submission date: 2017-11-27
Final revision date: 2018-01-26
Acceptance date: 2018-01-30
Online publication date: 2018-09-07
Publication date: 2018-12-20
Corresponding author
Olga Radulovic
Institute for Chemistry and Metallurgy, Palmoticeva 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2019;28(2):803-809
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this work was to examine the multiplication of the common duckweed (Lemna minor),
an aquatic plant species widespread in European stagnant waters, in two different media
(Murashige – Skoog and Hoagland) with and without phenol supplementation. In order to quantify plant
multiplication we have used relative growth rate and tolerance indices on both tested media and at five
phenol concentrations (10, 15, 20, 30 and 100 mg/L). Furthermore, we examined the possibility of phenol
removal from aqueous media containing different phenol concentrations, by using plant/bacteria system
consisting of the duckweed and its naturally occurring microbial populations. After 7 days, number
of newly formed fronds was approximately four times higher than at the beginning of the experiment
on both tested media. The most important result in this study was removal of 70% of phenol from
the highest initial concentration of 100 mg/L, in mixed cultures of duckweed and bacteria.
By comparison, aseptic duckweed cultures removed approximately 50% of phenol at the same initial
concentration. Our duckweed specimen showed a fast reproduction rate, high tolerance to phenol
and a possible cooperation with rhizosphere-associated bacteria. All of these traits can be ultimately
utilized for bioremediation purposes.