UPTAKE AND ACCUMULATION OF ZINC, LEAD AND COPPER IN ZINC AND LEAD TOLERANT <i>ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM</i> L.

Abstract

S ummary The amount of zinc, lead or copper accumulated in plants from zinc and lead tolerant and non‐tolerant populations of Anthoxanthum odoratum L. varied depending on whether the plants were tolerant of the metal and on the period of exposure to the solution containing the metal. After one day in zinc, lead or copper‐containing solutions, both tolerant and non‐tolerant plants showed a similar uptake and distribution of each metal, suggesting that uptake was independent of the tolerance characteristics. After 11 d of exposure to each metal, more lead and zinc were present in the roots of tolerant plants than in the roots of non‐tolerant ones. However, there was no change in the uptake and distribution of copper in plants after 11 d of exposure. The evidence for the presence of a mechanism to exclude toxic metals from the shoots is discussed.