Abstract
Despite the prevalence of the common pharmaceutical ibuprofen (IBU) in water and sediments worldwide, the effects of IBU on plants are largely unknown. This study was designed to assess the ecotoxicological effects of emerging pharmaceutical pollutant IBU on plant growth and development in a series of toxicity experiments using cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Plant growth parameters (morphological and physicochemical) were investigated under a series of IBU concentrations (0, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 2000 ppm IBU). IBU exposure reduced the shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry weights, leaf area, and chlorophyll a and b, carotenoid, total chlorophyll, mineral (K and Mg), glutathione reductase, and soluble protein contents. Simultaneously, increases in Ca and Mn contents, sodium translocation from roots to shoots, H2O2, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and IBU uptake were observed. The amount of bioaccumulated IBU varied between 7% and 8%. IBU was translocated from roots to shoots with a translocation factor of 3–16%. The IC50 values for biomass and plant length were 1253 and 1955 ppm IBU, respectively, which is much higher than the reported levels of IBU in the environment. This study demonstrates that cowpea plants develop several morphological and physicochemical adaptations to cope under ibuprofen stress; environmentally relevant concentrations of IBU are unlikely to produce negative impacts.
Highlights
Pharmaceutical drug research focuses on how drugs affect target organs as well as ensuring the drug is persistent, retaining its chemical structure to perform the desired therapeutic effect [1].the possible physiological and ecological effects of these compounds on nontarget species and ecosystems are largely unknown [2,3]
In V. unguiculata plants, growth and biomass reduction were the main outcomes of exposure to high concentrations of IBU (Figure 1A–D)
Vigna unguiculata plants develop several morphological and physicochemical adaptations to cope with ibuprofen stress
Summary
The possible physiological and ecological effects of these compounds on nontarget species and ecosystems are largely unknown [2,3]. The release of pharmaceutical compounds into the environment is of great concern for both environmental and human health [4]. Many unused and expired drugs are directly discharged to the environment without any Plants 2020, 9, 1473; doi:10.3390/plants9111473 www.mdpi.com/journal/plants. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to treat pain, common colds, fever, inflammation, migraines, and reduce human prostate cancer cell proliferation. Approximately 44,347 metric tons of ibuprofen (IBU) was used in 2019 [7]. A growing human population and increasing health care trend have elevated the amount of consumed and expired
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