Invasive species may offer advanced phytoremediation of endocrine<br>disrupting chemicals in aquatic ecosystems

Abstract

One of the major areas of advancement in environmental science is bioremediation. Researchers have been using bacteria, fungi, algae and now macrophytes to remove pollutants from aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Here we share the results of a study on the macrophyte uptake of xenoestrogens from an urban river. We found that the invasive curly leaf pond weed (Potamogeton illinoensis) accumulated an average of 66% higher levels of estrogenic compounds and 94% more Bisphenol-A than the native Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) in an urban river, in the watershed for the greater Chicago, IL area. The invasive species accumulated 76% more estrone, 55% more 17 β-estradiol and 31% more 17 α-ethynylestradiol than the native species. The Nonnative plants were also 72% larger than the native Illinois Pondweed. Managers may consider using invasive species to remove pollutants from ecosystems and restore ecosystem biogeochemistry.

A systematic review of how endocrine disrupting contaminants are sampled in environmental compartments: wildlife impacts are overshadowed by environmental surveillance.

“…Plants were sampled in only 11 studies across all continents, where the low sampling efforts may be due to their ability to accumulate EDCs but at different rates depending on the species. For example, the invasive curly leaf pond weed (Potamogeton illinoensis) has demonstrated greater accumulation of estrogenic compounds (averaging 66%) and bisphenol A (94%) than a native pondweed (Trueman & Erber, 2013).…”

Non-Native Invasive Species as Ecosystem Service Providers

“…Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle China [19,89,90] Potamogeton illinoensis Morong North America [91,92] Artemisia vulgaris L. Euroasia [93,94] Bioenergy Panicum virgatum L. Central and Eastern USA [26][27][28] Arundo donax L. Euroasia [95,96] Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud.…”

Removal of bisphenol A from wastewater and groundwater with helophytes

“…Plant uptake and metabolism of hydrophobic organic compounds is presented as less important than microbial degradation, as afore-mentioned in this manuscript. However, uptake of BPA in plant tissues or metabolization into other compounds with less endocrine-disrupting activity, has been indicated in several research studies (Lu et al, 2015;Dodgen et al, 2013;Trueman and Erber, 2013) and could be suggested as a possible pathway in this experiment, even of lesser importance.…”