Phytoremediation potential of common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Corn (Zea myse) in decomposing synthetic Sulphonated Anthraquinon

Synthetic sulphonated anthraquinones are the raw materials used for producing a large palette of synthetic dyes, and microorganisms have a limited ability to decompose them, hence they are one of the important environmental pollutants. In order to study the ability of plants to remove this pollutant from the environment, corn, as a plant not containing any natural anthraquinones and common sorrel, as a plant containing natural anthraquinones, were studied in hydroponic conditions. A factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design. The first factor was the plant species (Corn, as plant without natural anthraquinones, and common sorrel, plants with natural anthraquinones) and the second factor was sulphonated anthraquinones pollutant concentration. To reduce number of data, they were first analyzed using principle component analysis (PCA) procedure. Parameters with the highest specific value and highest effect on total variance as well as characteristics with the highest coefficients were selected.Result of PCA showed that shoot characteristics were less affected by pollutant concentration than root, and antioxidative defense system, lipid peroxidation and production of hydrogen peroxide in root, shoot and root dry weight had the highest contribution in total variance. Data analysis of variance indicated that corn ability was less than common sorrel for removing sulphonated anthraquinones. Root and shoot dry weighs were reduced by sulphonated anthraquinones, while activity of some enzymes such as Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Ascorbate Peroxidase (APX), Catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde were increased. The highest activity of antioxidative enzymes was measured in common sorrel treated by 3 mM sulphonated anthraquinones.