Title: The suitable phosphorus concentration level for restoration by duckweed

Authors: Guanling Song, Wei Meng, Qunhui Wang, Wenhua Hou

Addresses: Department of Life Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China; Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. ' Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. ' Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China. ' Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Department of Life Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China

Abstract: The suitable level of phosphorus concentration in waterbody was determined for the growth of duckweed. Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhiza were cultured in medium containing five different phosphorus concentrations (0.01, 0.2, 0.5, 5 and 50 mg l⁻¹). The increase of frond number, fresh weight, soluble protein, root length, peroxidase, catalase and malondialdehyde were measured. The two species of duckweed can survive under all circumstances. They grew better when phosphorus concentrations were 0.5-5 mg l⁻¹ than other phosphorus concentrations. This study indicated that the two species of duckweed are suitable for recovering the eutrophicated natural waterbodies in China.

Keywords: Lemna minor; Spirodela polyrhiza; phosphorus concentration; eutrophied waterbodies; eutrophication; ecological restoration; duckweed; China.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2009.026656

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2009 Vol.38 No.1/2, pp.127 - 139

Published online: 22 Jun 2009 *

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