The effect of bisphenol A on growth, pigment composition and photosystem II activity of Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used chemical, that can potentially be toxic to plants. In this study we examined the toxicity of 5-50 mg/l of BPA on Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, the effects of 0.5-5 mg/l of BPA were examined after four weeks of development. BPA had no effect on the germination rate and the chlorophyll a/b ratio. The chlorophyll a and carotenoid content was significantly elevated in seedlings treated with 5 mg/l of BPA. In 4-week-old plants there was no change in the chlorophyll and carotenoid content and photosynthetic parameters (Fv/Fm, Fv/F0 and PI) were unaffected, which suggests no photoinhibition. No oxidative stress symptoms were observed. BPA significantly decreased leaf protein content. A low concentration of BPA seems to have no significant effect on A. thaliana flowering, but further investigation is needed. The results obtained indicate that a low concentration of BPA has no negative effect on the growth and development of A. thaliana.