The Influence of Glutathione on Physiological Effects of Lead and its Accumulation in Moss Sphagnum Squarrosum

An attempt has been made to study the physiological andbiochemical responses and to evaluate the bioaccumulationpotential of moss Sphagnum to environmental lead. Supply of0.1 to 100 mM lead acetate caused a loss in chlorophyll andnitrogen content of moss and in nitrate reductase activity in themoss, although the peroxidase activity was increased. Partialrecovery in the above parameters was recorded upon simultaneoustreatment with glutathione. Results also indicate that treatmentwith glutathione increased the bioaccumulation potential bylowering the lead toxicity, which could be the result of inductionof metal binding capabilities of cells as the heavy metal alsoinduced the synthesis of phytochelatins. The moss accumulated asignificant amounts of Pb under both experimental and fieldconditions. The heavy metal accumulated by moss was positivelycorrelated to the soil metal content. The experiments demonstratethat Sphagnum is able to accumulate and tolerate higheramounts of Pb and therefore, it can be used as a bioindicator andphytoremediator of lead contaminated environment.