Perchlorate content of plant foliage reflects a wide range of species-dependent accumulation but not ozone-induced biosynthesis

Perchlorate (ClO4−) interferes with uptake of iodide in humans. Emission inventories do not explain observed distributions. Ozone (O3) is implicated in the natural origin of ClO4−, and has increased since pre-industrial times. O3 produces ClO4−in vitro from Cl−, and plant tissues contain Cl− and redox reactions. We hypothesize that O3 exposure may induce plant synthesis of ClO4−. We exposed contrasting crop species to environmentally relevant O3 concentrations. In the absence of O3 exposure, species exhibited a large range of ClO4− accumulation but there was no relationship between leaf ClO4− and O3, whether expressed as exposure or cumulative flux (dose). Older, senescing leaves accumulated more ClO4− than younger leaves. O3 exposed vegetation is not a source of environmental ClO4−. There was evidence of enhanced ClO4− content in the soil surface at the highest O3 exposure, which could be a significant contributor to environmental ClO4−.