Detoxification of phenol by the aquatic angiosperm, Lemna gibba

Lemna gibba was used to study the toxicity and metabolism of phenol. The toxicities of phenol and its major metabolite were described in terms of the effect of increasing concentrations on the vegetative reproduction of duckweed over a 7-day growth period. The respective EC10 and EC50ʹs were 0.08 & 0.54 mM for phenol and 0.15 & l.10 mM for the major plant-produced metabolite which was subsequently isolated from the plantʹs growth medium. After purification, the metabolite was identified, by 400 MHz NMR and chemical ionization MS. The structural identity was confirmed by comparison with authentic phenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside that had been acetylated.