Abstract
The ability of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to uptake three pharmaceuticals (diclofenac, mefenamic acid and metronidazole) from two types of soil (clay and sandy soil) was investigated in this study to explore the human exposure to these pharmaceuticals via the consumption of beans. A pot experiment was conducted with beans plants which were grown in two types of soil for six weeks under controlled conditions. During the experiment period, the soil pore water was collected weekly and the concentrations of the test compounds in soil pore water as well as in plant organs (roots, stems and leaves) were weekly determined. The results showed that the studied pharmaceuticals were detected in all plant tissues; their concentrations in plant roots were higher than plant stems and leaves. The extent level and accumulation of the studied pharmaceuticals in sandy soil was higher than the clay soil. The concentration of diclofenac in plant tissues was higher than both of mefenamic acid and metronidazole, indicating that diclofenac is more available to plant. The content of dissolved pharmaceuticals in soil pore water decreased gradually over time during the experimental period confirming the ability of beans to uptake these pharmaceuticals from soil. The results suggest the possibility of studying pharmaceuticals to be accumulated in beans tissues despite their low concentrations in the studied soils.
 Our results showed that the studied pharmaceuticals were detected in all plant tissues; their concentrations in plant roots were higher than plant stems and leaves. The extent level and accumulation of the studied pharmaceuticals in sand soil was higher than the clay soil. The concentration of diclofenac in plant tissues was higher than mefenamic acid and metronidazole, indicates that diclofenac is more available to plant. The content of dissolved pharmaceuticals in soil pore water decreased gradually over time during the experimental period which confirming the susceptibility of beans to uptake these pharmaceuticals from soil. Our results suggest the possibility of studied pharmaceuticals to be accumulated in beans tissues despite their low concentrations in the studied soils.
Highlights
Over the last decade, pharmaceuticals have been recognized as potential environmental contaminants according to their effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms [1,2,3]
The current work aims to demonstrate: i) the ability of beans “Phaseolus vulgaris L.” to uptake three pharmaceuticals including diclofenac (DCL), mefenamic acid (MEF) and metronidazole (MET) into different parts of beans grown in soil exposed to these pharmaceuticals in greenhouse pot experiment. ii) the temporal changes in the soil pore water pharmaceutical concentrations during the experiment period, and iii) provide an experimental data for improvement of the plant uptake and to explain the possible risk of pharmaceuticals to terrestrial organisms via their accumulation into the food chain
Statistical analysis The results of the test pharmaceutical concentrations in bean plants as well as in soil pore water were analyzed with statistical software package (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA)
Summary
Pharmaceuticals have been recognized as potential environmental contaminants according to their effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms [1,2,3]. The soil environment will be exposed to these chemical products with their metabolites when soil is irrigated with reclaimed wastewater effluent and when sludge is applied to soil as an amendment When pharmaceuticals and their bioactive metabolites reach the soil layers, they may either transport to plants or be readily to accumulate in groundwater through leaching and surface runoff [9], which can be found in the environment at concentrations ranging from parts-per-billion to parts-per-million. The current work aims to demonstrate: i) the ability of beans “Phaseolus vulgaris L.” to uptake three pharmaceuticals including diclofenac (DCL), mefenamic acid (MEF) and metronidazole (MET) into different parts of beans (roots, stems and leaves) grown in soil exposed to these pharmaceuticals in greenhouse pot experiment. The current work aims to demonstrate: i) the ability of beans “Phaseolus vulgaris L.” to uptake three pharmaceuticals including diclofenac (DCL), mefenamic acid (MEF) and metronidazole (MET) into different parts of beans (roots, stems and leaves) grown in soil exposed to these pharmaceuticals in greenhouse pot experiment. ii) the temporal changes in the soil pore water pharmaceutical concentrations during the experiment period, and iii) provide an experimental data for improvement of the plant uptake and to explain the possible risk of pharmaceuticals to terrestrial organisms via their accumulation into the food chain
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