Smart Wonders of Bioaccumulators : Pollutant Soaking Plants (Phytoindicators) & Mysteries behind Environmental Protection Oral Presentation in National Seminar on “Innovations in Basic Sciences in the Realm of Modern Education System” INNERVATE-2008, 27th & 28th Dec 2008 at Jankidevi Bajaj College of Science, Wardha ( Maharashtra )

1. SMART WONDERS
OF
BIOACCUMULATORS
POLLUTANT SOAKING PLANTS
(PHYTOINDICATORS)
&
MYSTERIES BEHIND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

2. Government College of Pharmacy
Amravati-444604.(M.S.) INDIA.
Nikam S.J*, Bhojane G.S.
Yawale M.J., Raut R.R.

3. Objective :-
reviewed enquiry of phytoindicators at molecular level
as bioaccumulators for environmental protection
role in pollution prevention with mechanism of action.
why we save valuable plants from utter destruction ?

4. Why ? Topic
-On both side of roads we see trees in series
-Why certain trees like Peepal, Bel, Pakur,
Bargad, Neem have been worshipped
from times immemorial ?

5. Pollutant soaking plants
-plants that have ability to assess levels of pollution.
-serve as index of state of environmental of particular
region.
-Shows acute injury with externally visible symptoms in
presence of high toxic pollutants.
-indicative phenomena :-
Bio-indication

6. Retains toxic pollutants/metabolic products of
plant-pollutant interaction in their bodies
Scavengers
Pollution mitigator plants Bioaccumulators
Phytoremediation

7. Symptoms
Chlorosis (yellowing/whitening of green plants tissues due to ↓
chlorophyll)
Necrosis (death of cells/tissues by disease )
Deformities of plants organs & ultimately death.
Physiological changes
Low photosynthetic activity
Changes in cell sap pH & membrane permeability
Low growth rate & crop yield
Stimulation of respiration & irregularity in enzyme action.

8. Parameters to select good phytoindicators
(in ecosystem)
1)Survival
2)Mortality
3)Pollutant uptake
Efficiency varies with ecotypes b’coz diff. in geographical
& climatic conditions.
Ideal Properties of indicators:-
Relatively easy to understand by non-scientists & other users.
Sensitive to manageable human activity.
Relatively tightly linked in space & time to that activity.
Easily & accurately measured, with a low error rate.

9. How ?
During uptake of essential nutrients through roots, absorbs
metallic, non-metallic wastes, different toxic chemicals (PPCP),
heavy metals (Cu ++,Zn++, Cd, Ag, Pb, Hg), inorganic biocides
accumulated in stable plant parts (root/shoot)
Phytoindicators
Phytochelatins Metallothioneins
sulphur containing polypeptides of low mol.wt.
Designed by TheTemplateMart.com

10. Phytochelatins
-group of proteins that inducible when they are faced
with heavy metal stress.
-Algae, Gymnosperms ,Monocots, Dicots Cd ++
-Cysteine, Glycine, Glutamic acid
y-(GluCys)n-Gly conformation y-carboxylamide bond
PCs r no direct result of expression of metal tolerance gene
A product of biosynthetic pathway with glutathione ( detoxifying
agent)

11. Ultra structure of Phytochelatins
Fig.1-Phytochelatins bind to metal ions & transport oxidized metal
to vacuoles for storage

12. Metallothioneins
-similar proteins to PCs with high no. of cysteine molecules in
proteins
Characteristics
low mol.wt.
large fraction of cysteine residue
Cu ++
-high metal content in metal- thiolate clusters

13. Ultra structure of Metallothioneins
Fig.2-Metallothioneins bind metal ions for transport to
deficient parts

14. Generalized Synthesis of Phytochelatins
Heavy Metals e.g. Cd ++
+
Plants
Glutathione substrate
Phytochelatin Synthase
PCs (Phytochelatins)
Continues untill all metals r complexed

15. Glutamine & Cysteine
Cd ++
y-glutamylcysteine
y-GluCys
Glutathione synthase
Vacuole
Glutathione (GSH) +
Cd ++
Phytochelatin
synthase(Cad1)
+
PCs + Cd ++
Sulfides
↓ PC-Cd complexes
↑CdS -PC complexes

16. Air Purifiers/Pollutant Soaking Plants
Peepal (Ficus rligiosa) Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna)
Bel (Aegle marmelos) Makhan katori (Ficus krishnae)
Neem (Azadirachta Kadam (Anthocephalus cadamba )
indica),
Weeds
Amaranthus graecizans
Argemone mexicana
Boerhaavia diffusa

17. Acknowledgement
The authors expresses their sincere gratitude towards
Respected
Mr. Dinesh Gandhi Sir
Mr. Rahul Akotkar Sir
Mr. Vijay Waghulkar Sir
for giving their valuable time for work.

18. References
Dipanjan Ghosh: Science Reporter; NISCAIR, (CSIR), Vol. 43,
No.6, June 2006.
Cobbett CS: Phytochelatins and their roles in heavy metal
detoxification. Plant Physiol 123: (2000) 825−832
Clemens S: Molecular mechanisms of plant metal tolerance and
homeostasis. Planta(2001) 212: 475−486