The sorptive capacity of an aquatic macrophyte for the pesticide aminocarb.

Ceratophyllum demersum exposed to a constant 1 microgram/ml aminocarb exhibited a large capacity for the sorption of the pesticide, up to 400 micrograms/g fresh weight in the dark and 1000 micrograms/g fresh weight in the light. Smaller, actively growing sprigs sorbed 5 times more pesticide per gm fresh weight than larger, older sprigs, although total uptake per plant was greater in the larger plants. Membrane conformation and integrity appear to be important factors in determining the capacity of this aquatic plant for pesticide sorption.