| Abstract | The anionic surfactant SLES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) is an emerging contaminant, being the main component of foaming agents that are increasingly used by the tunnel construction industry. To fill the gap of knowledge about the potential SLES toxicity on plants, acute and chronic effects were assessed under controlled conditions. The acute ecotoxicological test was performed on Lepidum sativum L. (cress) and Zea mays L. (maize). Germination of both species was not affected by SLES in soil, even at concentrations (1200 mg kg) more than twice higher than the maximum realistic values found in contaminated debris, thus confirming the low acute SLES toxicity on terrestrial plants. The root elongation of the more sensitive species (cress) was instead reduced at the highest SLES concentration. In the chronic phytotoxicity experiment, photosynthesis of maize was downregulated, and the photosynthetic performance (PI) significantly reduced already under realistic exposures (360 mg kg), owing to the SLES ability to interfere with water and/or nutrients uptake by roots. However, such reduction was transient, likely due to the rapid biodegradation of the surfactant by the soil microbial community. Indeed, SLES amount decreased in soil more than 90% of the initial concentration in only 11 days. A significant reduction of the maximum photosynthetic capacity (Pn) was still evident at the end of the experiment, suggesting the persistence of negative SLES effects on plant growth and productivity. Overall results, although confirming the low phytotoxicity and high biodegradability of SLES in natural soils, highlight the importance of considering both acute and nonlethal stress effects to evaluate the environmental compatibility of soil containing SLES residues. |
| Text | 444821 2021 10.1007/s11356 021 12574 w Scopus 2 s2.0 85100098821 Anionic surfactants Plant stress Chlorophyll fluorescence JIP test Gas exchanges Microbial abundance Microbial activity Germination, root elongation, and photosynthetic performance of plants exposed to sodium lauryl ether sulfate SLES an emerging contaminant Salvatori E.; Rauseo J.; Patrolecco L.; Barra Caracciolo A.; Spataro F.; Fusaro L.; Manes F. Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, 00185, Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy, , Italy; ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, SSPT STS, R.C. Casaccia, Via Anguillarese, 301 00123 S.Maria di Galeria, Rome, ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, SSPT STS, R.C. Casaccia, Via Anguillarese, 301 00123 S.Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy, , Italy; Institute of Polar Sciences National Research Council ISP CNR , Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Institute of Polar Sciences National Research Council ISP CNR , Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy, , Italy; Water Research Institute National Research Council IRSA CNR , Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Water Research Institute National Research Council IRSA CNR , Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy, , Italy The anionic surfactant SLES sodium lauryl ether sulfate is an emerging contaminant, being the main component of foaming agents that are increasingly used by the tunnel construction industry. To fill the gap of knowledge about the potential SLES toxicity on plants, acute and chronic effects were assessed under controlled conditions. The acute ecotoxicological test was performed on Lepidum sativum L. cress and Zea mays L. maize . Germination of both species was not affected by SLES in soil, even at concentrations 1200 mg kg more than twice higher than the maximum realistic values found in contaminated debris, thus confirming the low acute SLES toxicity on terrestrial plants. The root elongation of the more sensitive species cress was instead reduced at the highest SLES concentration. In the chronic phytotoxicity experiment, photosynthesis of maize was downregulated, and the photosynthetic performance PI significantly reduced already under realistic exposures 360 mg kg , owing to the SLES ability to interfere with water and/or nutrients uptake by roots. However, such reduction was transient, likely due to the rapid biodegradation of the surfactant by the soil microbial community. Indeed, SLES amount decreased in soil more than 90% of the initial concentration in only 11 days. A significant reduction of the maximum photosynthetic capacity Pn was still evident at the end of the experiment, suggesting the persistence of negative SLES effects on plant growth and productivity. Overall results, although confirming the low phytotoxicity and high biodegradability of SLES in natural soils, highlight the importance of considering both acute and nonlethal stress effects to evaluate the environmental compatibility of soil containing SLES residues. Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85100098821 origin=inward Germination, root elongation, and photosynthetic performance of plants exposed to sodium lauryl ether sulfate SLES an emerging contaminant Salvatori2021_Article_GerminationRootElongationAndPh.pdf Articolo in rivista Springer 0944 1344 Environmental science and pollution research international Environmental science and pollution research international Environ. sci. pollut. res. int. Environmental science and pollution research international. Environmental science and pollution research international Print Environmental science and pollution research Print ESPR Print luisa.patrolecco PATROLECCO LUISA anna.barracaracciolo BARRA CARACCIOLO ANNA francesca.spataro SPATARO FRANCESCA jasmin.rauseo RAUSEO JASMIN lina.fusaro FUSARO LINA |
