Differential elimination of mercury during maturation of leguminous seeds

The pods of Acacia koa, Canavalia cathartica, Leucaena leucocephala, Samanea saman and six other leguminous species lose as much as 75–85 % of their tissue water during maturation, but show no loss in tissue mercury content. Unlike fruit, seeds not only lose most of their water content, but also at least 75 % of their mercury during the maturation process. It is suggested that selective elimination is more likely to take place by bio-volatilization rather than by translocation, and that the phenomenon allows for detoxification of a cytogenetically hazardous chemical substance.