The Impact of Organic Micropollutants on the Biochemical Composition and Stress Markers in Wolffia arrhiza

Abstract

For many years, there has been a growing pollution of the aquatic environment with personal care products and industrial chemicals, the main source of which is municipal and industrial wastewater. This raises the need to assess the impact of these pollutants on ecosystems, including plants living in the aquatic environment. It is important to develop methods for their removal from wastewater, among which using plants for phytoremediation is a promising solution. This study aimed to evaluate the response of the aquatic plant Wolffia arrhiza (Lemnaceae) to low concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), triclosan (TRC), benzophenone (BPH), endosulfan alpha (α-END), and endosulfan beta (β-END). The plant growth, the content of cellular components, and oxidative stress markers were assessed in response to plant contact with single compounds at concentrations of 0.1 mg/L and 1 mg/L, and their mixture at a total concentration of 1 mg/L. All of the pollutants used in the study inhibited the W. arrhiza growth and stimulated the degradation of proteins but enhanced the level of saccharides. TRC, BPH, α-END, and β-END had a negative impact on the content of photosynthetic pigments. Increased concentrations of the oxidative stress markers MDA and H2O2 were registered in the plants exposed to BPA, TRC, and β-END. The mixture of pollutants had higher toxic effects than individual substances.