Lactuca Sativa Seeds Research Articles

The effects of lettuce extract on the level of T4, memory and nerve conduction velocity in male rats.

According to the traditional medicine, lettuce can affect nerve conduction velocity and memory. So, to investigate the effect of lettuce seeds extract on body activities, lettuce seeds were used. In the present study, the effects of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seeds extract consumption (in drinking water) on T4 level, animals' weight, water and food consumption, nerve conduction velocity (NCV), and memory in Wistar rats, were investigated. In this study, 24 Wistar rats were used, and divided into three groups: control, L 200 mg/kg, and L 400 mg/kg. The results showed that, the T4 level, food and water intake, time spent and distance travelled in Q1, delay time to enter and the number of entrance into the dark room in both treated groups were not significantly different from the control group. Animal weight and NCV, in 400 mg/kg group were not significantly different from the control group, but in 200 mg/kg group, they were significantly decreased (p<0.05). The duration spent in the dark room (48 hr after shock) in L 400 mg/kg increased compared to the control group (p<0.05), but in L 200 mg/kg group at all time points, and in L 400 mg/kg treated group 3 and 24 hr after shock, it was not significantly different from the control group. Based on these findings, the T4 level, memory, food and water intake were not changed by lettuce extract, while NCV and animal weight were decreased following treatment with lettuce extract.

Source apportionment of metallic elements in urban atmospheric particulate matter and assessment of its water-soluble fraction toxicity.

Clean air is essential for the maintenance of human life and environmental balance. The atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is one of the main air pollutants and is characterized by the heterogeneity of its composition, being able to accumulate numerous components, such as metallic elements, which contribute to increasing its toxicity. The objectives of this study were to assess of the air quality in two urban environments, to carry out the source apportionment of the metallic elements Al, Ba, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the PM2.5 and PM2.5-10, and evaluate the toxicity of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 water-soluble fractions using Lactuca sativa as bioindicator. The collection of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 was performed using a dichotomous stacked filter unit (SFU) sampler. The source apportionment was carried out using the EPA PMF 5.0 receptor model and the toxicity tests followed the EPA Ecological Effects Test Guidelines OPPTS 850.4200: Seed Germination/Root Elongation Toxicity Test. The source apportionment demonstrated that vehicular and industrial emissions are the main anthropogenic sources contributing to the concentration of metallic elements to thePM2.5 and PM2.5-10. The studied sites did not show statistically significant differences in terms of phytotoxicity to the Lactuca sativa seeds. Cd and Cu were identified as the main metallic elements which able to cause negative effects on seed germination and root elongation, respectively. The presence of cadmium and copper in the atmospheric particulate matter is one of the main causes of the phytotoxicity affecting the Lactuca sativa seed germination and root elongation.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of phytotoxic activity of Solanum lycocarpum (Solanaceae) ripe fruit

The Solanum lycocarpum species, belonging to the Solanaceae family, is popularly known as the wolf fruit and is used in folk medicine for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and cholesterol reduction. Thus, the aim of this study was to perform phytochemical screening of the ethanol extract from the ripe fruit of S. lycocarpum to verify the presence of the main groups of secondary metabolites and to evaluate the phytotoxic effect on Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Allium cepa (onion) seeds. The fruits of S. lycocarpum were collected, crushed and percolated with anhydrous ethanol and the solvent was dried in a rotatory evaporator to obtain the ethanol extract. In the phytotoxicity evaluation, the results showed that the ethanol extract was able to completely inhibit the growth of hypocotyl and radicle of L. sativa (lettuce) seeds in all concentrations tested. In A. cepa (onion) seeds, a concentration of 500 μg per plate was able to inhibit the growth of the hypocotyl and radicle by 100%. The metabolites detected in the extract were alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, and condensed tannins. The phytotoxic activity can be correlated to the presence of these compounds.

Toxic effects of silver nanoparticles on the germination and root development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

The advancement of nanotechnology has increased use of nanoparticles in industrial scale. Among the most used nanoparticles are those silver-based. Large-scale use can raise levels of these nanoparticles in aquatic environments, which, in turn, presents potential risks to aquatic organisms and ecosystems, causing undesired environmental impacts. To evaluate the potential risk of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) interaction with plants, seeds of Lactuca sativa L. (Asteraceae) were exposed to different concentrations of AgNPs (12.5, 25, 50, 100 ppm), using the percentage of germinated seeds and morphological changes in the root as toxicity criterion. Only at the maximum concentration of AgNPs (100 ppm), there is a negative effect on root growth in relation to the positive control (distilled water). These negative effects may be related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by the dissolution of Ag0 in Ag+. Other concentrations had a positive effect on root growth, although not significant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed morphological changes in the root surface exposed to the concentration of 100 ppm of AgNPs, resulting in root deformation. The accumulation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). AgNPs were found in the vacuoles, cell wall, middle lamella and cytoplasm, individualised or forming agglomerates. These results broaden our understanding of the safe levels of nanoparticle use and its impact on the environment. In addition, the nanoparticles used in this study can be used in new product development, since the observed maximum safe amount.

Simultaneous removal of Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn from synthetic solutions on a hemp‐based felt. III. Real discharge waters

ABSTRACTTwo hemp‐based materials were used as nonconventional adsorbents for the final treatment of industrial discharge waters (DWs) from a metal‐finishing plant. The first adsorbent, referred as HEMP, was a felt made of 100% hemp fiber. The second was the same felt coated with a maltodextrin‐1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic crosslinked polymer (HEMPM) in order to provide ion‐exchange properties to the material by introducing carboxylic groups. The batch experiments showed that both materials exhibited high adsorption capacities toward metal ions present in 12 DWs, leading to concentrations well below those allowed by the French regulation. Measurements of the germination rate of Lactuca sativa seeds and of mobility inhibition of Daphnia magna, used as ecotoxicological tests, were carried out on DWs before and after hemp treatment. The average germination rate before and after treatment were 47.2 ± 4.1 for untreated DWs, 71.2 ± 6.3 for DWs treated by HEMP, and 89.3 ± 4.7 for DWs treated by HEMPM. The EC50 values for four DWs were between 2.1 and 10.4% of DW, indicating high toxicity. After HEMPM treatment, exposure to the DW for 24 h did not cause immobilization (EC50 &gt; 90%). © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48823.

Analysis of norfloxacin ecotoxicity and the relation with its degradation by means of electrochemical oxidation using different anodes.

In this work, ecotoxicological bioassays based on Lactuca sativa seeds and bioluminescent bacterium (Vibrio fischeri) have been carried out in order to quantify the toxicity of Norfloxacin (NOR) and sodium sulfate solutions, before and after treating them using electrochemical advanced oxidation. The effect of some process variables (anode material, reactor configuration and applied current) on the toxicity evolution of the treated solution has been studied. A NOR solution shows an EC50(5 days) of 336 mg L-1towards Lactuca sativa. This threshold NOR concentration decreases with sodium sulfate concentration, in solutions that contain simultaneously Norfloxacin and sodium sulfate. In every case considered in this work, the electrochemical advanced oxidation process increased the toxicity (towards both Lactuca sativa and Vibrio fischeri) of the solution. This toxicity increase is mainly due to the persulfate formation during the electrochemical treatment. From a final solution toxicity point of view, the best results were obtained using a BDD anode in a divided reactor applying the lowest current intensity.

Influence evaluation of the functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles with a natural extract coagulant in the primary treatment of a dairy cleaning-in-place wastewater

Abstract Improving primary treatments is of utmost importance, which can be achieved by reducing the necessary time for the process, accomplishing a better quality of the treated wastewater and reducing the residues that may be generated. In a dairy industry, most of the effluent is provenient from the sanitation system, usually cleaning-in-place (CIP). This work investigated two organic coagulants, Moringa seeds extract (Mo) and nanoparticles (NP) of iron oxide functionalized with the Moringa extract (MoNP) as an alternative for the primary treatment of an effluent coming from the CIP of a dairy industry. The aim was to achieve a better treated effluent in a reduced time, since there are evidences that the NP with sedimentation under the influence of an external magnetic field can reduce settling times and result in a more compacted sludge. Different salts were examined for the Mo preparation as well as its combination with magnetic NP. Biotoxicity tests were performed with the objective of analyzing whether this extensively used seed and the NP could affect the flora using Lactuca sativa seeds as test organisms. The functionalization of the magnetic NP with the Mo prepared with calcium chloride (CaCl2) proved to be a good alternative for the primary treatment of dairy CIP wastewater since it provides about 90% of turbidity removal in a reduced sedimentation time (7 min compared to 60 min when Mo is used alone) and NP can be recovered from the sludge (which, by itself was already more advantageous since it was more compact) and refunctionalized to be reused. Besides, neither the Mo nor the MoNP increased the ecotoxicity of the treated effluent when Lactuca sativa seeds bioassays were conducted.

Preparation and Characterization of Lignin Microparticles-in-Alginate Beads for Atrazine Controlled Release

The use of lignin as polymeric matrices for controlled release systems in agriculture is a promising alternative for its revalorization. In this work, different atrazine delivery systems were studied. Lignin derived from ionic isolation was used for the preparation of atrazine-loaded microparticles by the solvent extraction/evaporation and microfluidic techniques. Microparticles were also encapsulated in sodium alginate beads. Lignin microparticles prepared by microfluidics presented a larger particle size, higher encapsulation efficiency and a narrow size distribution. The in vitro release of atrazine was evaluated in water. Atrazine release from microparticles prepared by the solvent extraction/evaporation technique showed a significant burst release, and this effect was reduced by incorporating microparticles within alginate beads. In addition, the phytotoxicity of the systems was evaluated employing Lactuca sativa seeds. The phytotoxicity results showed that lignin-based formulations are safe according to the parameters evaluated, in contrast with commercial atrazine that resulted phytotoxic.

A new approach using an open-source low cost system for monitoring and controlling biogas production from dairy wastewater

Abstract Biogas plants can effectively treat various sources of organic wastes and recover energy from biomass. However, anaerobic digestion (AD) is highly sensitive to process disturbances, which can affect the biogas production efficiency. Online process monitoring/controlling can be used to ensure efficient and stable biogas production, but automated instruments are still associated with high costs. Therefore, this study developed a low-cost system, using the open-source platform Arduino and its components, to monitor/control some AD variables. To test the developed system (DS), some AD variables of the dairy wastewater inoculated with sewage sludge digestion was monitored/controlled in the liquid phase (pH, temperature) and in the gas phase (pressure, methane yield, biogas volume). The batch experiment was conducted in mesophilic conditions (38 °C), with an inoculum/substrate ratio of 1:2 for 21 days, and it was also evaluated in terms of volatile solids (VS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. The DS maintained the desired pH and temperature conditions and informed an average cumulative biogas and methane concentration of 675.2 mL and 51.46%, respectively. The VS and COD removal rate obtained after the digestion was 45.35% and 80.1%, respectively. At the end of AD, an ecotoxicity test using Lactuca sativa seeds was performed and high digestate concentrations exhibited toxicity. Finally, the apparatus construction was feasible for the proposed work, indicating its economic potential viability.

Study of the allelopathic potential of the fruit pulp of Pilosocereus gounellei (Cactaceae)1

Allelopathy is a process by which a plant releases chemicals that inhibit competitors. Recent phytochemical studies have reported the presence of phenolic molecules in some species of Pilosocereus, which could be indicative of allelopathic effect. The aim of this study was to assess the allelopathic potential of the fruit pulp extract of Pilosocereus gounellei on the germination of seeds of Lactuca sativa and P. gounellei. We tested the effects of pulp extract at four different concentrations. We measured the osmotic potential of the extract at the different concentrations, in order to assess its effect on seed germination. The extract negatively affected the germination parameters of both species and effect was more significant at higher extract concentrations. The influence of the osmotic potential on the germination parameters was not significant for most of the studied parameters. We believe that our results are indicative that the fruit pulp extract of P. gounellei contains allelochemicals that delayed or inhibited seed germination of not only L. sativa, but also of seeds of their own species (autoallelopathy). Further studies are necessary to clarify the inhibition mechanisms, and how widespread the allelopathy is across other cactus species.

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE PHYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF THE HEXANE FRACTION FROM THE LEAVES OF Smilax brasiliensis (SMILACACEAE)

The species of Smilax genus are known as sarsaparilla or japecanga, being widely used in folk medicine as a tonic, antirheumatic, anti-syphilitic, antihypertensive and diuretic and for sweating, arthritis and skin conditions. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the phytotoxic activity and to identify the main classes of secondary metabolites present in the hexane fraction obtained from Smilax brasiliensis. The leaves were collected, dried, crushed and extracted by percolation with ethanol, obtaining the ethanol extract. Part of this extract was partitioned with hexane, resulting in the hexane (HEX) fraction. The best results by the phytotoxic activity in Lactuca sativa seeds were for the HEX4 and HEX5 sub-fractions, at concentration of 250 µg per plate. When evaluating the phytotoxicity in Allium cepa seeds, the best results were found for the HEX1 sub-fraction for the radicle and the HEX2 sub-fraction for the hypocotyl, both at concentration of 125 µg per plate. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of coumarins, steroids and flavonoids in the hexane fraction, suggesting that the phytotoxic activity may be attributed at least partially to these compounds; however, additional studies are needed. These results suggest that in the future, the hexane fraction of S. brasiliensis leaves can be used as a natural herbicide.

Phyto-toxic effect of particular material PM10 collected in the urban area of the city of Cuenca, Ecuador

The atmospheric pollutants cause adverse effects on plants, although the effect of PM10 on them is not known for sure, the present investigation aims to determine the phytotoxic effect of aqueous extracts of PM10 particulate material, coming from three sites of the urban area of the Cuenca- Ecuador canton, using the method described in the National regulations (Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation of the Ministry of the Environment), on the growth of the root and hypocotyl of seeds of Lactuca sativa, Brassica oleracea italica, Raphanus sativus. For the characterization of the particulate material in heavy metals (cadmium, manganese, nickel and lead), the EPA 3005a atomic absorption spectroscopy method was used, then the aqueous extracts were obtained with ultra pure water by ultrasonication for 30 minutes, the seeds were exposed to four dilutions of the aqueous fraction of PM10 (100%, 10%, 1% and 0.1%) during a short exposure time, the data were analyzed in the IBM SPSS Statistics 22 and GraphPad Prism programs and through the Kruskal Wallis’s statistician. The results show that the phytotoxic effect of PM10 could be attributed to the species reported in the aqueous extract (Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd). It was also shown that the hypocotyl growth inhibition was superior to that of the root.

Phytotoxic potential of selected medicinal plants on germination of Lactuca sativa seeds

Medicinal plants are best sources to treat various illnesses with them. So they might prove be a good source of developing novel herbicides. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential inhibition effects of Cucumis sativus, Portulaca oleracea, Malus baccata, Saxifraga flagillaris, Geranium wallichianum and Monotheca buxifolia powdered material on germination of Lactuca sativa seeds. Sandwich method was used for determining phytotoxicity of these plants in terms of radicle and plumule length of Lactuca sativa seeds with different amounts of 10, 20, and 40mg of powdered plant material. Cucumis sativus and Monotheca buxifolia were found the most phytotoxic among the selected medicinal plants at all concentration. The results can be sum off as Monotheca buxifolia > Cucumis sativus > Malus baccata > Saxifraga flagillaris > Geranium wallichianum > Portulaca oleraceae. From the results it can be assumed that the phyto-toxic effects of the aforementioned plants could be helpful in searching and development of new pharmaceuticals that can be used as positive sources for the development of new weedicides. Keywords: Allelopathy; Lactuca sativa; Medicinal Plants; Phyto-toxic Potential http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80103

Removal of triazines, triazoles and organophophates in biomixtures and application of a biopurification system for the treatment of laboratory wastewaters

Biopurification systems (BPS) have been barely explored for removing complex mixtures of pesticides. In this study, the potential of a biomixture to remove simultaneously a mixture of herbicides (triazines), fungicides (triazoles) and insecticides (organophosphates) is presented. Also, a BPS using the same biomixture was used for treating a pesticide testing laboratory wastewater containing a mixture of 38 compounds. Ecotoxicological assays were conducted on the BPS elutriates to investigate the mixture detoxification. A mixture (concentrations of 4–8 mg kg−1) run in small–scale biomixture systems (SSB) for 128 d showed 59.3% removal of triazines, 68.5% of organophosphates and no elimination of triazoles. The treatment of the laboratory wastewater (individual concentrations range: 0.0036–0.25 mg kg−1) in the pilot-scale BPS for 281 d resulted in the elimination pattern of organophosphates (90.0%) > triazoles (73.4%) > carbamates (71.3%) > triazines (54.3%). Complete detoxification towards Daphnia magna and partial detoxification in Lactuca sativa seeds germination occurred in the BPS. Although the pesticide mixture complexity is higher in the BPS, the lower concentrations found in this matrix, could explain removal differences between SSB and BPS and the apparent inhibition in the elimination of carbamates and some triazines observed in the latter. These findings suggest that disposal of pesticide–containing laboratory–wastewater should be done in separate containers, according to chemical groups before their treatment in separate BPS, in order to reduce treatment periods. Monitoring the treatment process in the BPS with a battery of ecotoxicological tests is strongly recommended.

Degradation of Textile Dyes Employing Advanced Oxidative Processes: Kinetic, Equilibrium Modeling, and Toxicity Study of Seeds and Bacteria

The textile industries’ production of effluents with a high content of organic matter and coloration is notorious, particularly as regards their effect on the aquatic environment. This occurs in the presence of dyes that inhibit light penetration, thus affecting the biodegradability of the medium. This study evaluates the advanced oxidative processes (AOP) for use in the degradation of the reactive red 195 and direct black 22 textile dyes using bench reactors. The photo-Fenton/sunlight process was efficient, achieving a degradation of over 99% for the chromophore groups after 150 min when utilizing [H2O2] = 60 mg L−1, [Fe] = 1 mg L−1, and a pH of between 3 and 4. The kinetic model into which the experimental data best fitted was the non-linear model which employs wavelength monitoring. The COD study indicated an organic matter conversion rate of 94.96%, with a good kinetic adjustment (R2= 0.9927. A mathematical model was proposed to estimate the degradation (%) according to the variables [H2O2], [Fe], pH, and λ. In addition, the present study evaluated the toxicity of the solution, both before and after the treatment, and was verified that the treated solution was toxic by using a concentration of 10% of Lactuca sativa and Syzygium aromaticum seeds. The toxicity analysis using microbiological techniques showed that, after the treatment, the percentage of inhibition was reduced considerably, dropping to 46.0% for the sample without dilution and inhibiting only 33.4% for SPT1%.

Effect of Supplementary Cyan Light to Deep Red and Royal Blue Range Wavelengths on the Seedling Period of Iceberg Lettuces

In this article, effect of cyan (≈500 nm) light on the plant growth as a supplementary light source to common deep red (≈660 nm) and royal blue (≈440) lights is examined. For this purpose, a 4-floor shelf was prepared containing Vernalia type iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seeds. Carbon dioxide content of air, soil moisture, air humidity, environment temperature, water, pH, electrical conductivity, fertilizer and nutrient contents were controlled at desired values; being same for the whole system. Second and third floors were lighted 18 hours a day, with the same photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 360 μmol m -2 s -1 . Third floor’s lighting was composed of 65% deep red and 35% royal blue lights. Second floor’s lighting was composed of 55% deep red, 25% royal blue and 20% cyan lights. First floor was lighted with sunlight, in order to make a comparison with natural lighting. Fourth floor contained the necessary control equipment. The experiment lasted for 15 days to analyse only the seedling period. The experiment results showed that, addition of cyan light to conventional red and blue grow lightings allowed the plants to grow 14% more by stem system. Also, cyan light provided a stronger root development and higher leaf area; which would indicate a higher product yield in the vegetative period. Keywords: Cyan light, artificial lighting, plant growth conditions, seedling period, lettuce, greenhouse efficiency, green light DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-10-11 Publication date :May 31 st 2019

Evaluation of the Acid Blue 161 dye degradation through electrochemical oxidation combined with microbiological systems

Synthetic textile dyes have considerable molecular complexity, which makes these compounds highly stable and resistant to different types of treatments. Azo dyes represent the most commonly used group of dyes in textile industry. Azo dye contaminants in wastewater are recalcitrant, and microbiological treatments and oxidative processes have been widely studied to remedy this problem. These treatments can transform recalcitrant substances into substances with low toxicity. Therefore, microbiological and electrochemical/microbiological discoloration treatments were performed with the azo textile dye Acid Blue 161 in aqueous solution. The microbiological discoloration treatments were carried out using the filamentous fungus Aspergillus terreus and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Discoloration treatments were performed with and without electrochemical pretreatment. The acute toxicity of the solutions was analyzed before and after the treatments using a vegetable test system (Lactuca sativa seeds). Adsorption treatment with white clay was performed to remove intermediate metabolites with high toxicological potential. At the end, all treatments tested were effective at discoloring the Acid Blue 161 dye solution. Moreover, the systems composed of the fungus A. terreus were more efficient and exhibited lower acute toxicity to L. sativa seeds at the end of 288 h of exposure to fungal biomass before and after adsorption treatment with white clay.

Combination of Iron Chloride and Polyacrylamide as Coagulant-Flocculants to Remove Pollutants in Dye Wastewater

Dye Industrial developments have been increasing over the years and have created various environmental problems for water resources. This study was carried out in order to reduce the concentration of colour as well as the COD concentration by coagulation (Iron chloride) and flocculation (Polyacrylamide) using a standard jar test apparatus. The coagulation and flocculation processes were completed using Response Surface Methodology – Central Composite Design in order to see the effect of pH on iron chloride and polyacrylamide at optimum conditions. The analysis of zeta potential was done at various pH levels to compare the reduction of COD and colourant at various levels. Further analysis using the sludge produced included measuring for phytotoxicity using Lactuca sativa seeds. The treatment showed the highest colour removal with 95% (31 pt. co) and 92.0 % (42 mg/ L) COD reduction at pH conditions of around 5.4, 375 mg/ L of coagulant and 28 mg/ L of flocculant. Charge neutralization occurred when the pH moved to acidic region of 4-6. It was found that pH significantly influenced Iron chloride and Polyacrylamide for both responses (colour and COD). The phytotoxicity assessment indicated the mortality rate is increased with an increase in sludge concentration. Results revealed that FeCl3PAM at 100% undiluted dye sludge recorded the highest mortality rate.

Individual and mixture toxicity evaluation of three pharmaceuticals to the germination and growth of Lactuca sativa seeds

This work aims to assess, individually and in mixtures, possible phytotoxic effects of three pharmaceuticals (paracetamol, ibuprofen and amoxicillin) on germination and early growth of Lactuca sativa seeds. Pharmaceuticals are an important group of emerging contaminants, whose presence has been described in several environmental compartments, including soils. However, knowledge on their possible impact in terrestrial organisms is still sparse and even more when mixtures are considered. Germination tests are important to evaluate the quality of soil and the toxic effects that contaminants can pose to plants.The acute effects of individual pharmaceuticals as well as binary and ternary mixtures were assessed using different endpoints, namely: percentage of seed germination, root elongation, shoot and leaf length, after an exposure time of five days. Overall, in the exposure of L. sativa seeds to individual pharmaceuticals there are indications of acute toxicity in the early plant growth. However, this inhibitory effect tends to be cancelled in the acute exposure to mixtures. This study shows the importance of evaluating the toxicity of mixtures of pharmaceuticals, since they might have distinct toxic effects when compared to the single compounds, and also because, probably, it is the closest scenario to the reality that can be found in the environment.

Mercury chloride phytotoxicity reduction using antioxidative mechanisms evidenced by caffeic acid FTIR

The aim of this study was to evaluate the caffeic acid antioxidant and cytoprotective activity against Mercury Chloride (HgCl2) action. DPPH and iron chelation assays were performed to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The interaction between the metal and phenolic compounds was identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and microbiological tests were performed using microdilution, obtaining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC). To evaluate cytoprotection in the plant model, a sub-allelopathic product concentration (32 μg/mL) and different heavy metal concentrations were used. Caffeic acid was observed to confer cytoprotection to Lactuca sativa seeds, allowing greater growth and development of both plant radicles and caulicles. This result may be attributed to the chelating and antioxidant effect of the caffeic acid, thereby reducing the toxicity of the metal. These results demonstrate the possibility of using natural products as an alternative for heavy metal chelation and to enable a greater development of plants present in contaminated areas. These results become important given the high environmental contamination by heavy metals recently, preventing the growth of important plants both from an environmental and economic point of view, thus providing a viable alternative for minimizing the problem becomes indispensable.