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Abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the tolerance of Spartina densiflora to phenanthrene, and to test its ability in phenanthrene dissipation. A glasshouse experiment was designed to investigate the effect of phenanthrene from 0 to 1000mgkg−1 on growth and photosynthetic apparatus of S. densiflora by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments. We also performed chemical analysis of plant samples, and determined the concentration of phenanthrene remaining in soil. S. densiflora survived to concentrations as high as 1000mgkg−1 phenanthrene in soil; in fact, there was no significant difference in RGR among the treatments after 30days. Otherwise, phenanthrene affected photosynthetic apparatus at 100 and 1000mgkg−1; thus, the lower Φ PSII could be explained by the declined photosynthetic pigment concentrations. Soil extraction indicated a more marked rate of phenanthrene disappearance in the soil in the presence of S. densiflora. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]