Abstract: Absorption and transportation of methyltertbutylether(MTBE) in water by Eichhornia crassipes were studied. Results show that concentrations of MTBE in treatments Ⅰ,Ⅱ, and Ⅲ(control) were decreased by 94.25％, 50％, and 7.3％, respectively when they were exposed to MTBE for 5 d. This illustrates that the transpiration of the leaves of Eichhornia crassipes was the major cause for the reduction in concentration of MTBE in water solution. Regression analysis of the experimental data was performed, showing that the disappearance of MTBE in water solution was fitted to first order kinetic equation. Disappearance rate of MTBE in water in treatment Ⅲ was obviously lower than that in treatment Ⅰor Ⅱ. This further demonstrates that transpiration plays a crucial role in the elimination of MTBE in water solution. No harm was observed and no difference in the ratio of transpiration quantity to biomass emerged when Eichhornia crassipes was exposed to MTBE at a concentration less than 1 110 mg/L for 5 d. Ratio of transpiration quantity to biomass reduced obviously and leaf edge was dried up and became etiolate when Eichhornia crassipes was exposed to MTBE at concentration 1 480 mg/L. By measuring the contents of MTBE in the root, stalk, and leaf of Eichhornia crassipes, it was found that concentration ratio of MTBE in root, stalk, and leaf was 1 ∶1.5 ∶0.5, which showed that the order of MTBE concentration in the tissues was stalk>root>leaf.

Key words: methyltertbutylether(MTBE), Eichhornia crassipes, ph ytoremediation