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Rapid development of industry and unceasing emergence of factories lead to an increased soil pollution and make it an urgent and rigorous environmental issue worldwide.During which,one of the most serious problems is metal pollution due to the growing risk of heavy metal uptake by human and livestock.Copper is an essential element for all organisms at low concentrations,while it is toxic when absorbed excessively.The normal concentration of copper in plant tissues is 5—20 mg/kg,and the toxicity effects are likely to occur if it exceeds the upper limit.During recent decades,in comparison with physical and chemical remediation,phytoremediation had been reported to be more effective,non-intrusive and less expensive.All these characteristics together with the aesthetically pleasing feature make it the most socially approved technology to remediate polluted soil.Ornamental plant has become a novel source of phytoremediation species due to their multi-functions: pollution monitoring and control as well as landscaping.Extensive studies of the tolerance and accumulation of heavy metal by plants underpinned their utilizations in the restoration of heavy metal contaminated soil.Phytoextraction,a form of phytoremediation,is one example of applying plants to remove contaminants from soil by concentrating them in the havrvestable parts and based on the hyper-accumulation capacity of heavy metal by certain species.To improve metal enrichment of plants,chelators could be used as activators of metal to facilitate the procedure of plants to absorb available metal.Citric acid(CA),a natural metal chelator,is a kind of low-molecular-weight organic acids(LMWOAs).And ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) is a representative kind of artificially synthesized metal chelators.Recently,numerous articles focused on the researches about activation of heavy metal by chelators. This paper explored the effects of CA and EDTA on the growth of Chlorophytum comosum,a type of ornamental plants,in copper-contaminated soil by pot-planting.The experiments included effects of CA and EDTA on content of available copper in soil,copper enrichment,morphological indicators,biomass,some physiological indexes and activities of antioxidant enzymes of C.comosum.The results showed that,the relationship,between influence of CA and EDTA on copper enrichment of C.comosum and capability of them on activating copper in soil,was a significantly positive correlation.CA could effectively improve the ability on copper absorption of C.comosum through activating copper in soil,and the best concentration was 5mmol/L.However,higher metal enrichment inhibited the growth of plants,so the morphological indicators and biomass of C.comosum both showed a crosscurrent to the trend of copper enrichment uner treatments of CA.The influence of EDTA on copper enrichment of C.comosum was less intensively,and the effects on growth of C.comosum was also not significant.In contrast,the effects of CA on growth of C.comosum in copper-contaminated soil was superior to EDTA,which provided theoretical foundation and scientific basis for widely applying CA and EDTA in phytoremediation.

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of phosphate fertilization on chemical speciation of cadmium (Cd) in the rhizospheric soil of Chlorophytum comosum, a potential cadmium hyperaccumulator. The results revealed that when 200 mg kg−1 phosphate was applied into the soil, the Cd contents in the exchangeable fraction (EXC), carbonate-binding fraction (CA), and Fe–Mn oxides-binding fraction (Fe–Mn) were the highest, and the Cd content in the residual fraction (RES) was the lowest. Phosphate fertilization could enhance Cd conversion from RES into CA and weak RES, thereby improving the bioavailability of Cd and enhancing Cd enrichment and adsorption by C. comosum. The total Cd content in the soil was reduced by 10.15 mg kg−1 in the planted group, which was significantly different from the control group (p

Chlorophytum comosum seedlings were grown in soils containing different lead (Pb) concentrations (CK, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1250, 1500 and 2000 mg/kg-dry soil) for three months and the effects on the growth, physiological indexes and the accumulation of C. comosum were examined. The results show that the tolerance index (TI) of C. comosum were all above 100 in soils containing 500 mg/kg or lower Pb. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and electrical conductivity (EC) of C. comosum differed insignificantly with rising Pb concentration. The activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) increased significantly in lower Pb concentration and reached their maximum at 1000 and 250 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, C. comosum plant could maintain a lower Pb level in vivo in soils containing higher Pb concentration. These data indicate that C. comosum is surprisingly tolerant to Pb stress. Key words: Chlorophytum comosum, lead, accumulation, tolerance, physiological index.

Chlorophytum comosum seedlings were treated with different Zinc (Zn) concentrations (CK, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 mg·kg-1dried growth medium) under controlled conditions. Physiological parameters and Zn content of roots and shoots were examined by pot-planting over a period of three months. The results showed that the length of roots, the fresh and the dried weight of plants were inhibited by Zn of all concentrations, while the length of aboveground parts and the volume of roots were stimulated by the lower Zn level. The Tolerance Index (TI) of C. comosum were above 50 in soil of Zn concentration less than 600mg·kg-1. In addition, results indicate thatC. comosumcan accumulate Pb up to 1093 mg·kg-1and 4700 mg·kg-1dry weight in roots and leaves respectively in Zn concentration of soil up to 2000 mg·kg-1.

In this study, Copper (Cu) tolerance inChlorophytum comosumwas tested by pot-planting. The results showed that the tolerance index (TI) ofC. comosumwas above 100 in soil Cu concentration of 50mg·kg-1. With the increase of Cu concentration in soil, the MDA content increased, but had no significant differences with the control until 500mg·kg-1. The value of chlorophyll a/b had no significant differences with the control in all treatments. Meanwhile, the bioaccumulation coefficient (BC) and translocation factor (TF) value ofC. comosumwere 1.287 and 0.687 respectively in Cu concentration of soil up to 500mg·kg-1. For the advantages of high tolerance, high accumulation and high ornamental value,C. comosummay be a potential Cu-accumulator and have tremendous application value in the treatment of Cu-contaminated soils.

In this study, Chlorophytum comosum was used to restore the artificially polluted soil by pot-planting. The results showed that the sensitivity of soil enzymatic activities was ranked as follows: urease > invertase > phosphatase > catalase, as their activities were only 25.71%, 33.33%, 37.88% and 55.49% compared to CK. The electrical conductivity (EC) value of soil increased from 98.3 to 608.7 µs·cm-1with the increase of copper (Cu) concentration in soil, but the organic matter had no significant difference between different treatments. The bioaccumulation coefficients (BC) and translocation factors (TF) value of C. comosum were both above 0.5 when Cu concentration in soil was up to 500mg·kg-1, which indicated that there might be an excellent and transport mechanism in C. comosum. In conclusion, C. comosum is a potential ornamental plant in recovering Cu-contaminated soils.

Through determined the activities of urease, phophatase, invertase and catalase by pot-planting, we researched the effect of Lead (Pb) on Soil enzyme Activities and Chlorophytum comosum on the effect of Pb- pollution soil. The results showed that Pb pollution apparently advanced the activities of catalase and invertase. Urease activities were all reduced with the increasing Pb concentration, the activity of urease appears to be more sensitive to pollution than that of other soil enzymes. The physicochemical indexes, activities of soil urease, phophatase, invertase and catalase, have responded differently between plant groups and control groups (P

The purpose of this research was to determine changes in negative air ion (NAI) concentrations produced by plants grown under different light intensities. NAI concentrations were observed and analyzed in an outdoor green space with five plant species (Aloe arborescens, Clivia miniata, Chlorophytum comosum, Opuntia brunnescens, Crassula portulacea) and A. arborescens was then grown under controlled-light conditions in an enclosed space for the subsequent light intensity experiment.

Phenolic compounds, ubiquitous in plants are an essential part of the human diet and are of considerable interest due to their antioxidant properties. The antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds depends on the structure, in particular the number and positions of the hydroxyl groups and the nature of substitutions on the aromatic rings. Alocacia indica sch., Asparagus officinalis DC., Chlorophytum comosum Linn., Cordia Myxa Roxb., Eulophia Ochreata Lindl., Momordica dioicia Roxb., Portulaca oleracia Linn. and Solanum indicum Linn. are the major sources of phenolic compounds in the human diet. Soluble phenolic acids were extracted with methanol. The aim of this study determination of the distribution and total phenolic compound in a wide range of vegetables consumed in India and Iran.

Agapanthaceae, Anthericaceae and Hyacinthaceae adventitious in Argentina. This paper includes updated observations of the previously cited: Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis (Agapanthaceae), and 3 new adventitious species for Argentina: Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques (Anthericaceae), Hyacinthus orientalis L. and Hyacinthoides hispanica (Mill.) Rothm. (Hyacinthaceae).

The taxonomy of rain forest species of the genus Chlorophytum in central and west Africa has to date been difficult to resolve. Plants collected in the Guineo-Congolean plant geographical region deposited in several herbaria formed the basis for a morphometric analysis using Principal Component Analyses and including 16 characters. In total, 166 individuals were included from 461 herbarium collections, from which 57 seeds were scanned to investigate the surface structures. Eight species are recognized, including one with three subspecies and another with three varieties. Four new combinations are proposed (Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques var. bipindense (Engl. & K. Krause) A.D. Poulsen & Nordal, C. comosum (Thunb.) Jacques var. sparsiflorum (Baker) A.D. Poulsen & Nordal, C. lancifolium Baker ssp. cordatum (Engl.) A.D. Poulsen & Nordal, and C. lancifolium Baker ssp. togoense (Engl.) A.D. Poulsen & Nordal), ten new synonyms are introduced and three lectotypes are designated. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 148, 1–20.

The antiproliferative effects of a n-butanol extract from Chlorophytum comosum (C. comosum) (spider plant) roots was tested in vitro against four human cell lines: HeLa, CCRF-HSB-2, HL-60 and U937 cells. The extract was found to have cell antiproliferative effects against HeLa, CCRF-HSB-2, HL-60 and U937 cell lines, with an IC50 value of 6.6, 5.4, 8.7 and 10.2 μg/ml, respectively. The dying cells showed characteristics of apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation, as assessed by DNA electrophoresis analysis and the Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotin dUTP Nick End-Labeling (TUNEL) method. These results indicate that extract from C. comosum roots can induce apoptosis in human cell lines.

Generation of negative air ions (NAI) by pot plants (aloe Aloe arborescens, haworthia Haworthia rasalata, echinopsis Echinopsis tubiflora, mammillaria Mammillaria prolifera, opuntia Opuntia brunnescens, spider plant Chlorophytum comosum, and jade plant Crassula portulacea) was studied when high-voltage pulses were applied to soil. Plants that generated low amounts of NAI (such as jade plant and echinopsis) elevated NAI level 2–3 times over the mean background level. Plants that produced moderate amounts of NAI (haworthia, opuntia, and mammillaria) increased the NAI level hundredfold, whereas highly active plants (aloe and spider plant) increased the NAI level thousand times. Aloe plants can maintain constant NAI concentration in the ambient air (125 ± 15 × 103 ions/cm3) for a long time (7–8 h). Negative air ions were predominantly generated by the leaf tips. The capacity of aloe to produce NAI considerably reduced with plant age and was lost, although reversibly, at temperatures below 8.5°C. The rate of NAI generation considerably depended on weather conditions. It was demonstrated that superoxide anion radical is one of NAI species generated by plants.

The majority of angiosperms display maternal plastid inheritance. The cytological mechanisms of this mode of inheritance have been well studied, but little is known about its genetic relationship to biparental inheritance. The angiosperm Chlorophytum comosum is unusual in that different pollen grains show traits of different modes of plastid inheritance. About 50% of these pollen grains exhibit the potential for biparental plastid inheritance, whereas the rest exhibit maternal plastid inheritance. There is no morphological difference between these two types of pollen. Pollen grains from different individuals of C. comosum all exhibited this variability. Closer examination revealed that plastid polarization occurs, with plastids being excluded from the generative cell during the first pollen mitosis. However, the exclusion is incomplete in 50% of the pollen grains, and the few plastids distributed to the generative cells divide actively after mitosis. Immunoelectron microscopy using an anti-DNA antibody demonstrated that the plastids contain a large amount of DNA. As there is a considerable discrepancy between the exclusion and duplication of plastids, resulting in plastids with opposite fates occurring simultaneously in C. comosum, we propose that the species is a transitional type with a mode of plastid inheritance that is genetically intermediate between the maternal and biparental modes.

Following 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining of mature pollen grains of Chlorophytum comosum, fluorescence microscopy confirmed that cytoplasmic nucleoids (DNA aggregates) were present in the generative cells, which indicated the possibility of biparental cytoplasmic inheritance. Electron and immuno-electron microscopy showed that both plastids and mitochondria were present in the generative cells, and both organelles contained DNA. These results indicate that mitochondria and plastids of C. comosum have the potential for biparental inheritance. Similar results were obtained with mature pollen grains of C. chinense. Therefore, we conclude the coincident biparental inheritance for mitochondria and plastids in the members of the genus Chlorophytum.

The foliar uptake and transport of formaldehyde into Bracket plants from air via leaves and roots to external water was investigated in an air–plant–water system. The results indicated that formaldehyde could be quickly taken up by plant tissues, and that formaldehyde accumulated in leaves could be released rapidly back into air when the formaldehyde level in air was diminished. This rapid reversible translocation of formaldehyde between plant leaves and air resulted in high formaldehyde concentrations in leaf dews, depending upon exposure levels of formaldehyde in air. Meanwhile, formaldehyde could be transported from air to plant rhizosphere solution through downward transport. The concentration of formaldehyde in rhizosphere solutions increased with exposure time and the formaldehyde level in air. The efficiency of the leaf extracts to break down formaldehyde increased, probably because of an increase in oxidative potential of the leaf extracts. Taken together, the main mechanism of formaldehyde loss in air can be attributed to the accumulation by (or breakdown in) plant tissues; the removal rate of formaldehyde from air reached 135 μg h −1 plant −1 in the experimental condition.

We conducted laboratory tests with six species of plants to determine their ability to remove benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE) and toluene from air. The objective of this proof-of-principal study was to evaluate the idea that phytoremediation techniques might be used to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants, such as volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds. Plants were exposed to the pollutants singly or in mixtures in an airtight chamber, and concentrations of the pollutants in the chamber were monitored through time to assess plant effects on the pollutants. In several experiments, we measured air temperature and CO2, as well. Lower surfaces of leaves of several of the species we tested were also examined by scanning electron microscopy to determine stomate abundance and size, and to provide information about leaf-surface elemental composition (by X-ray emission spectroscopy). Several of the species demonstrated an extensive ability to remove benzene from air. Gas chromatography methods allowed a reasonably direct, continuous monitoring of the kinetics and overall efficiency of the pollutant-removal process. We found that pollutant removal efficiency varied in response to plant species and the pollutant. Of the pollutants tested, benzene was most efficiently removed from air by Pelargonium domesticum, Ficus elastica and Chlorophytum comosum. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, a common ornamental plant, appeared to take up benzene selectively over toluene, and TCE was removed efficiently from the air by C. comosum. Pentane, sometimes used as an internal standard in GC/MS, was removed from air by at least four of the species. For C. comosum, TCE appeared to lower the removal rates of benzene and pentane. Low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy provided information on stomate size and density and permitted rapid initial elemental analysis of the plant-leaf surface by X-ray emission spectroscopy. Our results indicate that simple tests for pollutant uptake, morphological and chemical features of plants, and plant detoxification enzyme activity might be used in multivariate fashion to identify plant species capable of removing volatile or semi-volatile pollutants from air.

A significantly enhanced production of ethane due to sulphite treatment was observed only in the green fragments of variegated Chlorophytum comosum leaves but no increase in MDA content was found after sulphite treatment either in the green or in the white leaf fragments. The activity of SOD showed a tendency to increase while that of catalase significantly decreased only in the green leaf fragments after SO2 fumigation. The higher level of oxidative damage in the green tissue could probably result from the Haber-Weiss reaction of generation of HO.

Air borne uptake of toluene and ethylbenzene by twelve plant species was examined. Of the twelve plant species examined, the highest toluene removal was found in Sansevieria trifasciata, while the ethylbenzene removal from air was with Chlorophytum comosum. Toluene and ethylbenzene can penetrate the plant׳s cuticle. However, the removal rates do not appear to be correlated with numbers of stomata per plant. It was found that wax of S. trifasciata and Sansevieria hyacinthoides had greater absorption of toluene and ethylbenzene, and it contained high hexadecanoic acid. Hexadecanoic acid might be involved in toluene and ethylbenzene adsorption by cuticles wax of plants. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis or the potential quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) in toluene exposed plants showed no significant differences between the control and the treated plants, whereas plants exposed to ethylbenzene showed significant differences or those parameters, specifically in Dracaena deremensis (Lemon lime), Dracaena sanderiana, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Cordyline fruticosa. The Fv/Fm ratio can give insight into the ability of plants to tolerate (indoor) air pollution by volatile organic chemicals (VOC). This index can be used for identification of suitable plants for treating/sequestering VOCs in contaminated air.

Three new spirostanol pentaglycosides embracing beta-D-apiofuranose were isolated from the fresh underground parts of Chlorophytum comosum together with four known saponins. The structures of new compounds were determined by spectroscopic data, including two-dimensional NMR, and partial acid-catalysed hydrolysis to be (25R)-5 alpha-spirostane-2 alpha,3 beta-diol 3-O-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- (1-->2)-O-[O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -->3)]-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranoside], (25R)-3 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-spirostan-12-one (hecogenin) 3-O-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-[O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1- ->4)- beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D- galactopyranoside] and hecogenin 3-O-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-[O-beta-D- apiofuranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-O-beta-D-gluc opyranosyl- (1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranoside], respectively. The isolated saponins were examined for inhibitory activity using 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbor-13-acetate-stimulated 32P-incorporation into phospholipids of HeLa cells as the primary screening test to identify new antitumour-promoter compounds.

Leaf blight of ribbon plant caused by Alternaria alternata is a serious disease in hanging baskets in households. In vitro experiments evaluated the effect of seven isolates of Trichoderma species (from ribbon plant rhizosphere) and ten isolates of endophytic bacteria (from ribbon plant phylloplane) were tested against A. alternata. All the Trichoderma species had varied antagonistic effects against the pathogen. Among them, THA recorded maximum growth inhibition of A. alternata. Most of the bacterial isolates tested were short rods and produced bright fluorescence when exposed to UV light. Among the isolates, EBL 5 produced the largest inhibition zone and the least mycelial growth of A. alternata. The study identified the Trichoderma isolate (THA) and endophytic bacterial isolate (EBL 5) performed well in inhibiting the mycelial growth of test pathogen.

Stomatal aperture and conductance were greater in the green parts of Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb) Bak var. variegatum leaves than in the white parts. A strong decrease in net photosynthesis (P N ) was measured in green parts of the leaves after fumigation with 80 μl l -1 SO 2 for 45 min. However, the inhibitory effect of SO 2 on P N was less expressed at 1000 μl l -1 CO 2 than at 0 and 380 μl l -1 CO 2 . The decrease in P N after exposure to SO 2 was accompanied by closure of the stomata, both in the green and white parts of the leaves, at all tested CO 2 concentrations (0, 380 and 1000 μl l -1 ). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity strongly increased at 1000 μl l -1 CO 2 both in the green and white parts of the leaves as compared with 0 and 380 μl l -1 CO 2 , indicating better adaptation to oxidative stress. Exposure to 80 μl l -1 SO 2 increased SOD activity at 0 and 380 μl l -1 CO 2 , but not at 1000 μl l -1 CO 2 .

Four indoor ornamental plants were compared for their absorption capacities in a simulated indoor environment according to the absorption rate per leaf area after 24 hours' formaldehyde treatment. Meanwhile, chlorophyll a/b ratio, relative conductivity and MDA content were measured to assess those plants' physiological responses to formaldehyde stress. The results showed that the capacities of experimental plants on removing formaldehyde were different, and the order of the plants according to the removal capacities measured was Sansevieria trifasciatavari®Laurentii'> Chlorophytum comosum i®Mediopictum'> Aloeverai®Chinensis'> Scindapsus aureum.

The minor veins of small leaf discs, punched out of mature leaves and incubated in 14C-sucrose solution, appear labeled in macro- and microautoradiographs. Discs with a labeled vein pattern and with labeled sieve tubes in microautoradiographs were found in Beta vulgaris, Vicia faba, Gomphrena globosa and Antirrhinum majus. However, in several other plant species, minor veins appeared unlabeled in macroautoradiographs when the discs were incubated in 14C-sucrose. Mesophyll cells (Acer pseudoplatanus, Juglans regia, Fagia, sylvatica, Syringa vulgaris, Laburnum anagyroides), bundle-sheath cells of major veins (Salix viminalis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Commelina communis) or epidermal layers (Ginkgo biloba, Chlorophytum comosum) appeared labeled. Lack of radioactivity in sieve tubes of this latter group was confirmed by microauto-radiography. Using 14C-glucose instead of 14C-sucrose, leaf discs of Beta vulgaris showed no labeled vein pattern and in microautoradiographs the sieve tubes appeared unlabeled. In view of the by-pass phloem loading, this study provides evidence for two pathways of phloem loading.

The capacity of 15 indoor ornamental plants in removing toluene and xylene were investigated, using sealed fumigation chamber method. And the chlorophyll content, plasma membrane permeability, MDA content and POD activity were measured to assess the plants' tolerance to the toluene and xylene stress. The results showed that all of the 15 plants can absorb toluene and xylene, among which Pelargonium hortorum, Chlorophytum comosum, Scindapsus aureum, Pelargonium odoratissmum, Neottopteris nidus, Commelina communis, Zebrina pendula showed high capacity in absorbing toluene and xylene. After toluene and xylene fumigation treatments, different plants showed different morphological and physiological changes. The plants which had high resistance to toluene and xylene in this experiment were Rhododendron hybrida, Calathea makoyana, Radermachera sinica, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Kalanchoe blossfeldian, et al.

The most important nutrients present in plants are: carbohydrates, such as the starch and free sugars, oils, proteins, minerals, ascorbic acid, and the antioxidant phenols. The Plants Alocacia indica Sch.,Asparagus officinalis DC., Chlorophytum comosum Linn., Cordia myxa Roxb., Eulophia ochreata Lindl., Momordica dioicia Roxb., Portulaca oleracia Linn. and Solanum indicum Linn. are widely wild in many regions of Iran and India. Association of the Official Analytical Chemists and Folin-Ciocalteau micro method are used for nutritional analysis of the plants. Results indicated that Portulaca oleracia Linn. and Asparagus officinalis DC. contain high amounts of proteins, fats and calorie values. These plants are consumpted as vegetables in Iran people diets.

The meiotic behaviour of flower buds of Chlorophytum comosum grown under natural conditions without any treatment was evaluated. Many abnormalities such as univalents, laggards, bridges, micronuclei and chromosome stickiness were observed at high frequency. These abnormalities may have contributed to pollen sterility since seed production was highly affected.

The effects on the growth, physiological indexes and the cadmium (Cd) accumulation in Chlorophytum comosum under Cd stress were examined by pot-planting. The results showed that the tolerance index (TI) of C. comosum were all above 100 in soil Cd concentration of 100 mg kg(-1). The O(2˙)⁻ production rate and electrical conductivity of C. comosum were significantly positively correlated to Cd adding-concentration while the MDA content increased and had significant differences with the control. The activities of SOD, CAT, and POD all rose significantly in lower Cd concentration and the Cd threshold of them were around 10, 50 and 20 mg kg(-1), respectively. The Cd in C. comosum root and aboveground part reached 1,522 and 865·5 mg kg(-1), respectively, in Cd concentration of soil up to 200 mg kg(-1). For the advantages of high tolerance, high accumulation, and high ornamental value, C. comosum may have tremendous application value in the treatment of Cd-contaminated soils.

The kinetic process of formaldehyde biodegradation in a biofilter packed with a mixture of compost, vermiculite powder and ceramic particles was investigated in this study. The results showed that more than 60% of formaldehyde was removed by the first 5 cm high biofilter bed at 406 L h −1 flowrate within the range of 5–207 mg m −3 inlet concentrations. A macrokinetic model was applied to describe the kinetic process of formaldehyde biodegradation and the experimentally determined elimination capacity for the biofilter agreed well with the model predicted values. The data on the effect of spider plant ( Chlorophytum comosum L.) on formaldehyde removal indicated that formaldehyde biofiltration might be stimulated by spider plant since formaldehyde was assimilated by spider plant roots and microbial formaldehyde degradation was enhanced by the root exudates.

Summary The spectral optical properties of green and white or green and yellowish segments of variegated leaves were measured in order to determine that fraction of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) which is absorbed exclusively by the chlorophylls or the chloroplasts. In most leaves weak absorption bands of the chlorophylls were also detectable in the white or yellowish leaf segments giving evidence of a small amount of green pigments. In the case of Chlorophytum comosum which has only traces of chlorophylls in the white segments, 71.8 % of the PAR of solar radiation is absorbed in the green leaf segments by the chlorophylls. However this statement is only valid if assuming the same structure and the same content of other substances than chlorophylls in the green and the white leaf segments.

Spontaneous intercellular chromatin migration/cytomixis was observed to occur in the pollen mother cells (PMCs) of the Chlorophytum comosum for the first time. The migration through cytomictic channels was more pronounced in meiosis-I and very rare in meiosis-II. The process was associated with erratic meiosis, which was characterized by defects in chromosome organization and segregation. Cytomixis was more intense in the month of April than in July and consequently the frequency of meiotic irregularities was much more pronounced during the month of April. As a consequence of abnormal meiosis, fertility was drastically reduced resulting in meager seed efficiency of 17% only. Recombination system also does not guarantee the release of sufficient variability. We view the phenomenon of cytomixis as genetically controlled mechanism involving meiotic genes and operating through signal transduction pathway triggered by the environmental stimuli. The evolutionary significance and tenable hypothesis in the backdrop of existing literature is also proposed.

Stomatal openings can be stimulated by light through two signalling pathways. The first pathway is blue light specific and involves phototropins, while the second pathway mediates a response to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). This second pathway was studied with the use of albino Vicia faba plants and variegated leaves of Chlorophytum comosum . Treatment of V. faba with norflurazon (Nf) inhibits the synthesis of carotenoids and leads to albino leaves with guard cells that lack functional green chloroplasts. Guard cells in albino leaf patches of C. comosum , however, do contain photosynthetically active chloroplasts. Stomata in albino leaf patches of both plants did not respond to red light, although blue light could still induce stomatal opening. This shows that the response to PAR is not functioning in albino leaf patches, even though guard cells of C. comosum harbour chloroplasts. Stomata of Nf-treated plants still responded to CO 2 and abscisic acid (ABA). The size of Nf-treated guard cells was increased, but impalement studies with double-barrelled microelectrodes revealed no changes in ion-transport properties at the plasma membrane of guard cells. Blue light could hyperpolarize albino guard cells by triggering outward currents with peak values of 37 pA in albino plants and 51 pA in green control cells. Because of the inhibition of carotenoid biosynthesis, Nf-treated V. faba plants contained only 4% of the ABA content found in green control plants. The ABA dose dependence of anion channel activation in guard cells was shifted in these plants, causing a reduced response to 10 m M ABA. These data show that despite the dramatic changes in physiology caused by Nf, the gross responsiveness of guard cells to blue light, CO 2 and ABA remains unaltered. Stomata in albino leaf patches, however, do not respond to PAR, but require photosynthetically active mesophyll cells for this response.

The leaf cells of Chlorophytum comosum seem to have the ability to regulate their protoplast volume and shape during the plasmolytic cycle. This phenomenon was morphologically expressed by the stabilization of the plasmolyzed protoplast volume and shape within 1-5 min after the immersion of the leaf segments in the plasmolytic fluid and temporarily at the onset of deplasmolysis. During the latter stage the plasmolyzed protoplast rounded up and assumed a perfectly convex shape and glided into the cell lumen along the cell axis. This gliding movement was active, nonsaltatory, and conducted with a constant velocity and lasted for a short time. During this movement the protoplast volume did not change appreciably. As far as we know, this movement has not been described so far. Deplasmolysis proceeded and was rapidly completed when the protoplast stopped moving. Leaf cells which have been affected by an antiactin filament drug or myosin inhibitors lost their ability to regulate the volume and shape of the plasmolyzing protoplast. In addition, the gliding protoplast movement was also inhibited in the treated cells. These data show for the first time that the actomyosin system is involved in the mechanism of volume regulation during the plasmolytic cycle and that it underlies the gliding movement of the deplasmolyzing protoplast.

Researches of age-dependent changes of liver functions and their correction with the use of various biologically active substances are an important issue of modern biomedicine. Investigation of the influence of the enzymatic hydrolyzate of Chlorophytum comosum (L.) on the liver of rats at the age of two years at its experimental toxic damage showed that the substrate has expressed a pronounced hepatoprotective effect. Under its influence morphological changes in the rat liver induced by CCl4 are much less pronounced than in the controls. There are also less significant deviations from normal levels of Alanine transamilase (ALT), Alanine transaminase AST and Total Bilirubin in blood plasma. Information analysis of the state of the organ indicates that the level of adaptation and regeneration opportunities of the liver of rats treated with an enzymatic hydrolyzate of Chlorophytum comosum (L.) is significantly higher than at the liver of rats with experimental toxic liver damage without the use of studied substrate. Histopathological analysis confirmed the alleviation of liver damage in connection with use of enzymatic hydrolyzate of Chlorophytum comosum (L.)

Investigation of the influence of the enzymatic hydrolyzate of Chlorophytum comosumthe first on the liver of rats at its toxic damage showed that the substrate has expressed a pronounced hepatoprotective effect. Under its influence in the rat liver morphological changes induced by CCl4 are much less pronounced than in the controls. There are also less significant deviations from normal levels of ALT, AST and bilirubin. Information analysis of the state of the organ indicates that the level of adaptation and regeneration opportunities of the liver of rats treated with an enzymatic hydrolyzate of Chlorophytum comosum is significantly higher than that of the liver of rats with experimental toxic liver damage without the use of tested substrate.

The phytotoxicity of formaldehyde for spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum L.), tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bel B and Bel W3), and soybean (Glycine max L.) cell-suspension cultures was found to be low enough to allow metabolic studies. Spider plant shoots were exposed to 7.1 [mu]L L-1 (8.5 mg m-3) gaseous [14C]-formaldehyde over 24 h. Approximately 88% of the recovered radioactivity was plant associated and was found to be incorporated into organic acids, amino acids, free sugars, and lipids as well as cell-wall components. Similar results were obtained upon feeding [14C]formaldehyde from aqueous solution to aseptic soybean cell-suspension cultures. Serine and phosphatidylcholine were identified as major metabolic products. Spider plant enzyme extracts contained two NAS+-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase activities with molecular mass values of about 129 and 79 kD. Only the latter enzyme activity required glutathione as an obligatory second cofactor. It had an apparent Km value of 30 [mu]M for formaldehyde and an isoelectric point at pH 5.4. Total cell-free dehydrogenase activity corresponded to 13 [mu]g formaldehyde oxidized h-1 g-1 leaf fresh weight. Glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenases were also isolated from shoots and leaves of Equisetum telmateia and from cell-suspension cultures of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.). The results obtained are consistent with the concept of indoor air decontamination with common room plants such as the spider plant. Formaldehyde appears to be efficiently detoxified by oxidation and subsequent C1 metabolism.

Sclerotium rolfsii was recorded for the first time causing leaf and stem necrosis at the soil level on Chlorophytum comosum in Argentina.

In a study of pollen ultrastructure in Chlorophytum comosum plastids were found to be present and apparently unaltered in both vegetative and generative cells. These ultrastructural data are consistent with the biparental transmission of plastids in this genus. However, mitochondria appear degenerate when compared to leaf mitochondria, exhibiting small myelin-like figures in addition to an abnormal cristae system. Since the plastids are not degenerate in the pollen of this species it appears that the transmission genetics of the mitochondria are determined separately from that of the plastid in higher plants.

The presence of chloroplasts in guard cells from leaf epidermis, coleoptile, flowers, and albino portions of variegated leaves was established by incident fluorescence microscopy, thus confirming the notion that guard cell chloroplasts are remarkably conserved. Room temperature emission spectra from a few chloroplasts in a single guard cell of Vicia faba showed one major peak at around 683 nanometers. Low-temperature (77 K) emission spectra from peels of albino portions of Chlorophytum comosum leaves and from mesophyll chloroplasts of green parts of the same leaves showed major peaks at around 687 and 733 nanometers, peaks usually attributed to photosystem II and photosystem I pigment systems, respectively. Spectra of peels of V. faba leaves showed similar peaks. However, fluorescence microscopy revealed that the Vicia peels, as well as those from Allium cepa and Tulipa sp., were contaminated with non-guard cell chloroplasts which were practically undetectable under bright field illumination. These observations pose restrictions on the use of epidermal peels as a source of isolated guard cell chloroplasts. Studies on the 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea-sensitive variable fluorescence kinetics of uncontaminated epidermal peels of C. comosum indicated that guard cell chloroplasts operate a normal, photosystem II-dependent, linear electron transport. The above properties in combination with their reported inability to fix CO2 photosynthetically may render the guard cell chloroplasts optimally suited to supply the reducing and high-energy phosphate equivalents needed to sustain active ion transport during stomatal opening in daylight.

A fully expanded hydrogel, Agrosoke, was used to replace 5% (1 ×) or 10% (2 ×) of the volume of a potting medium to determine its effect on plant growth and water use. Although irrigation frequency was unaffected by Agrosoke, spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques ‘Vittatum’) grown in the 2 × medium were 50% larger and had more lateral shoots and better root systems than the control, demonstrating improved water use efficiency. Agrosoke had no effect on either irrigation frequency or on fresh weight of Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott. ‘Rooseveltii’). Leachates from hydrogel-amended media had higher electrical conductivity indicating that more nutrients and other salts were held by these media.

The distribution of stornata has been investigated in the leaf epidermis of Chlorophytum comosum , Galanthus nivalis , Schizostylis coccinea and Scilla lane if olia. The epidermis was considered to consist of units of construction of two kinds : type A, a long epidermal cell with a stoma at its distal end, and type B, a long epidermal cell without an associated stoma. Except in Scilla , the probability of an epidermal unit being type A increases approximately with its length. Considering the epidermis as rows of units, alternating sequences of type A and type B do not occur randomly along the rows. In Chlorophytum , Galanthus and Schizostylis , both type A and B units tend to be aggregated into longer sequences than would be expected on a random basis. It is suggested that homoeogenetic induction (i.e. of like by like) may be occurring during development. No case can be made for homoeogenetic induction of units in Scilla. There is a slight tendency to periodicity of distribution of type A units in Galanthus , Schizostylis and Scilla , but this does not seem to represent a primary element of pattern. There is interaction between rows in the sense that unit ends (transverse walls) tend to avoid those in neighbour rows ; this affects the relative distribution of stornata, but there is no evidence of any direct interaction between stornata in different rows.

Pollen DNAse of Chlorophytum comosum was demonstrated cytochemically by coupling the breakdown of DNA (due to the endogenous DNAse) with acid phosphatase supplied to the reaction mixture. Precipitation of the free phosphate groups (from acid phosphatase reaction on the freed nucleotides) as lead phosphate results in a electron dense deposit, visible with the electron microscope. Enzyme activity using this technique was localized in vesicles along the intine (principally along the aperture region) and around the generative cell.

Fruits and leafy vegetables are believed to occupy a modest place as a source of trace elements due to their high water content. Most of nutrient requirements can be met by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables to 5–13 servings/day. In addition to meeting nutrient intake levels, greater consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, lungs, stomach, and colon. Therefore, vegetable and fruit consumption prevents sickness in population. Results in this research showed that Portulaca oleracia Linn. contains high value of macro-elements such as sodium (7.17 mg/g), potassium (14.71 mg/g), and calcium (18.71 mg/g), and high ash value in comparison with other plants. Also, Eulophia ochreata Lindl. has maximum micro-elements such as iron (5.04 mg/g) and zinc (3.83 mg/g) in comparison with other plants in this study. Therefore, we can conclude that P. oleracia Linn. has high nutritional values from the viewpoint of macro-elements such as sodium, potassium, and calcium; and because E. ochreata Lindl. has micro-elements in maximum amounts such as iron and zinc in comparison with other edible plants, it has high nutritional value from the viewpoint of the above trace (micro) elements. Momordica dioicia Roxb. or Cordia myxa Roxb have the lowest nutritional values because they have ash minimum values. M. dioicia Roxb. contains minimum values of sodium and calcium, but C. myxa Roxb. has zinc minimum value. Alocacia indica Sch., Asparagus officinalis DC., Chlorophytum comosum Linn., C. myxa Roxb., E. ochreata Lindl. have medium nutritional values.

A rapid and simple method for the determination of a ferric iron pool in the free space of roots is described. Formation of this pool depended on the source of iron in the nutrient solution. During growth in water culture at pH 5 to 6 with Fe-ethylenediaminetetraacetate, a free space pool of 500 to 1000 nanomoles Fe per gram fresh weight was formed in the roots of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Prelude), maize (Zea mays L. var. Capella), and chlorophytum (Chlorophytum comosum [Thunb.] Jacques). No significant pool (less than 100 nanomoles per gram fresh weight) was formed with ferrioxamine. Upon impending Fe deficiency, bean and chlorophytum were able to mobilize this pool. Fe-deficient bean plants mobilized iron from the free space iron pool of another plant in the same vessel.

This paper investigated the capacity of plants (Schlumbergera truncata, Aloe vera var. chinensis, Chlorophytum comosum, Schlumbergera bridgesii, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. friedrichii, Aspidistra elatior, Cymbidium kanran, Echinocactus grusonii, Agave americana var. marginata, Asparagus setaceus) to generate negative air ions (NAI) under pulsed electric field stimulation. The results showed that single plant generated low amounts of NAI in natural condition. The capacity of C. comosum and G. mihanovichii var. friedrichii generated most NAI among the above ten species, with a daily average of 43 ion · cm(-3). The least one was A. americana var. marginata with the value of 19 ion · cm(-3). When proper pulsed electric field stimulation was applied to soil, the NAI of ten plant species were greatly improved. The effect of pulsed electric field u3 (average voltage over the pulse period was 2.0 x 10(4) V, pulse frequency was 1 Hz, and pulse duration was 50 ms) was the greatest. The mean NAI concentration of C. kanran was the highest 1454967 ion · cm(-3), which was 48498.9 times as much as that in natural condition. The lowest one was S. truncata with the value of 34567 ion · cm(-3), which was 843.1 times as much as that in natural condition. The capacity of the same plants to generate negative air ion varied extremely under different intensity pulsed electric fields.

The behaviour of plastids and mitochondria during the formation and development of the male gametophyte of Chlorophytum comosum has been investigated using electron microscopy. During first pollen mitosis an intracellular polarization of plastids occurs in that the plastids are clustered in the centre of the microspore. The originating generative cell normally lacks plastids. Only in a small number of microspores have plastids been observed near the dividing nucleus of the microspore and later on in the generative cell. These observations agree with the genetic investigations of Collins (1922) on the mode of plastid inheritance which demonstrated a small amount of biparental plastid inheritance in Chlorophytum. The cytological mechanisms underlying plastid polarization during the first pollen mitosis are discussed.

Microbial diversity is suggested as the key for plant and human health. However, how microbial diversity can be enriched is largely unknown but of great interest for health issues. Biostimulants offer the way to directly augment our main living areas by the healthy microbiome of indoor plants. Here, we investigated shifts of the microbiome on leaves of spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) and its surrounding abiotic surfaces in the built environment after irrigation with a vermicompost-based biostimulant for 12 weeks. The biostimulant could not only promote plant growth, but changed the composition of the microbiome and abundance of intact microbial cells on plant leaves and even stronger on abiotic surfaces in close vicinity under constant conditions of the microclimate. Biostimulant treatments stabilized microbial diversity and resulted in an increase of Bacteroidetes and a surprising transient emerge of new phyla, e.g., Verrucomicrobia, Acidobacteria, and Thaumarchaeota. The proportion of potentially beneficial microorganisms like Brevibacillus, Actinoallomurus, Paenibacillus, Sphaerisporangium increased relatively; microbial diversity was stabilized, and the built environment became more plant-like. Detected metabolites like indole-3-acetic acid in the biostimulant were potentially contributed by species of Pseudomonas. Overall, effects of the biostimulant on the composition of the microbiome could be predicted with an accuracy of 87%. This study shows the potential of biostimulants not only for the plant itself, but also for other living holobionts like humans in the surrounding environment.