Phytotests for assessing phytotoxicity of “Blue moon” liquid detergent: Lens culinaris seeds

Abstract

The phytotests for phytotoxicity assessment is to analyze the developmental responses of plant seeds to hazardous materials in the environment. The effectiveness of the phytotests in testing the varied contaminants was validated and reported. However, the phytotoxicity of synthetic laundry de tergents (SLDs) is poorly understood. Accordingly, "Blue moon" liquid laundry detergents ("Blue moon"-LLD) was targeted as a contaminant in study. Lentil (Lens culinaris) tests were used to test the phytotoxicity of "Blue moon"-LLD. Consequences showed percent germination of seed (PGS, ca. 0%-80%) and root length (RL, ca. 0-5 mm) decreased significantly toward the increase in concentration (0.0%, 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0%) of "Blue moon"-LLD after 72-h. Exposure to the "Blue moon"-LLD throughout 96-h further lowered PGS (ca. 0%-90%) and RL (ca. 0-9 mm). Correlation analysis proved a negative linearity (k =-155.84, R 2 = 0.97, 72-h; k =-173.12, R 2 = 0.98, 96-h) between test concentrations and PGS and between the concentrations and RL (k =-10.4, R 2 = 0.91, 72-h; k =-15.48, R 2 = 0.94, 96-h). It manifested that the phytotoxicity of "Blue moon"-LLD was a concentration-dependent toxicity. The study is aimed at validating the sensitivity, effectiveness, alternative use of animal toxicity tests and inexpensive phytotesting protocol for phytotoxicity assessment.