Uptake of Pharmaceuticals Influences Plant Development and Affects Nutrient and Hormone Homeostases

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2015-10, Vol.49 (20), p.12509-12518
• Main Authors: Carter, Laura J, Williams, Mike, Böttcher, Christine, Kookana, Rai S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomass; Carbamazepine - pharmacokinetics; Carbamazepine - toxicity; Cucurbita - drug effects; Cucurbita - growth & development; Cucurbita - metabolism; Cucurbita pepo; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Leaves; Photosynthesis; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Pigments; Plant Development - drug effects; Plant growth; Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Verapamil - pharmacokinetics; Verapamil - toxicity
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b03468

The detection of a range of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the soil environment has led to a number of publications demonstrating uptake by crops, however very few studies have explored the potential for impacts on plant development as a result of API uptake. This study investigated the effect of carbamazepine and verapamil (0.005–10 mg/kg) on a range of plant responses in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo). Uptake increased in a dose-dependent manner, with maximum leaf concentrations of 821.9 and 2.2 mg/kg for carbamazepine and verapamil, respectively. Increased carbamazepine uptake by zucchini resulted in a decrease in above (