Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and its derivatives are common pollutants left on sites where explosives are used, stored or manufactured. This is a family of toxic compounds that damage the environment and induce severe diseases in human beings. Typical effects of nitroaromatic exposure include skin irritation and discoloration, anemia, and cancer. Phytoremediation is an alternative to remove such contaminants from soil. In this research project, Spermacoce assurgens, known as “Juana la Blanca”, has been selected as a target plant to remediate nitroaromatics contamination. Juana is a medicinal plant native to Puerto Rico used mostly to disintegrate kidney stones. Its decoctions are capable of complexing metals ions such as cadmium and calcium. The phytochemistry of this plant suggests strongly that Juana can be a potent phytoremediatior. The first objective of this research was to obtain enough plant clones for experimentation. After several trials using proper aseptic techniques and controlled environmental conditions, clones of the available mother plant were successfully grown in vitro free of bacteria and fungi. Plantlets were grown in standard Murashige and Skoog semisolid media with no sucrose added. The second objective was to expose plants to the principal nitroaromatic compound: trinitrotoluene (TNT). Plant clones were transferred to liquid growth media doped with 0 and 35 ppm TNT. Aliquots were collected periodically to quantify the amount of TNT remaining in the growing media. Quantization was done by reversed phase HPLC (C-18, Inertsil, acetonitrile-water 60:40). After one weak no TNT was detected in the media. This result shows that Juana 1) survives in media contaminated with TNT and 2) may be a potential phytoremediator for TNT.
