Determination of the Toxic Effects of Heavy Metals on the Morpho-Anatomical Responses of the Leaf of Typha latifolia as a Biomonitoring Tool

• Published in: Plants (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 176
• Main Authors: Mamine, Nedjma, Grara, Nedjoud, Khaldi, Fadila, Maresca, Viviana, Aouaichia, Khaoula, Basile, Adriana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-01-2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic plants; Artificial wetlands; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Barometers; Bioavailability; Biological monitoring; Biomonitoring; Cadmium; Chlorophyll; Chloroplasts; Chromium; constructed wetland; Effluents; Environmental aspects; Food chains; Freshwater resources; Heavy metals; Lake Burgas; Lakes; Leaves; Measurement; microscopic analysis; Oxidative stress; Physiological aspects; Phytoremediation; Plant tissues; Pollutants; Pollution; Sedimentation & deposition; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Stomata; Toxicity; Trace levels; trace metals; Treated water; Typha; Typha latifolia; Water analysis; Water sampling; Water treatment; Wetlands; Algeria; trace metals; constructed wetland; phytoremediation; Lake Burgas; microscopic analysis
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants13020176

leaves act as sensitive barometers for trace heavy metal pollution, as revealed by their pronounced anatomical responses in a constructed wetland. Monthly water samples and
leaf tissue were collected over three consecutive months in 2018 from the Burgas Lake wetlands (Taoura), northeast Algeria. While physical and chemical parameters improved after treatment, atomic absorption spectrometry (Perkin Elmer A Analyst 800 AAS) detected persistent trace levels of cadmium, chromium, and lead in both the treated water and leaf tissue, highlighting the need for continued phytoremediation efforts. Microscopic examination of leaf tissue exposed to these metals revealed distinct anatomical adaptations, including shrunken vascular bundles, altered cell shapes, and stomatal closure. These findings underscore
's effectiveness in accumulating heavy metals and its potential as a highly sensitive biomonitor for persistent pollution in lake ecosystems.