Responses of Mentha piperita L. and Arabidopsis thaliana L. to fumigation with SO2 at different concentrations

Leaf necroses, chlorophyll destruction and sulphur accumulation followed from SO2 fumigation of Mentha piperita L. and Arabidopsis thaliana L. A SO2 dependent decrease in the cell sap pH occurred in both species, but A. thaliana showed a less effective buffering capacity as compared with M. piperita. Exposure to SO2 resulted in a decreased N content in H. piperita and in an increased N content in A. thaliana. M. piperita appeared to be able to remove SO2 from the air bringing about a pollutant sink.