Phytotoxicity of nitrobenzene bioaccumulation in rice seedlings: Nitrobenzene inhibits growth, induces oxidative stress, and reduces photosynthetic pigment synthesis

Dan Wang; Wenrui Zhang; Runqiang Zhang; Nan Tao; Liang Si; Changhong Guo

doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108096

Phytotoxicity of nitrobenzene bioaccumulation in rice seedlings: Nitrobenzene inhibits growth, induces oxidative stress, and reduces photosynthetic pigment synthesis

Plant Physiol Biochem. 2023 Nov:204:108096. doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108096. Epub 2023 Oct 15.

Authors

Dan Wang¹, Wenrui Zhang¹, Runqiang Zhang¹, Nan Tao¹, Liang Si², Changhong Guo³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025, China.
² Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025, China. Electronic address: siliang7698192@163.com.
³ Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025, China. Electronic address: kaku3008@hrbnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37864929
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108096

Abstract

Nitrobenzene (NB) has been used in numerous industrial and agricultural fields as an organic compound intermediate. NB has mutagenicity and acute toxicity, and is typically a toxic pollutant in industrial wastewater worldwide. To evaluate its phytotoxicity, we treated rice (Oryza sativa) with different concentrations of NB (0, 5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L^-1). NB inhibited growth indices of rice (shoot and root length, fresh shoot and root weight, and dry shoot and root weight) as NB treatment concentrations increased. High concentrations (>25 mg L^-1) of NB significantly inhibited rice root and shoot growth; root growth was more susceptible to NB. NB treatment could damage the structure and reduce the activity of rice seedling roots. The result of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that the bioaccumulation of NB in rice seedlings had a dose-dependent effect on the growth inhibition. NB reduced the photosynthetic pigment content and the expression levels of chlorophyll synthesis genes. NB treatment increased active oxygen radicals, electrical conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, and soluble sugar contents. The expressions of antioxidant enzyme genes were induced by NB stress, and exhibited a phenomenon of initial increase followed by decrease. When the NB concentration was higher than 50 mg L^-1, the gene expression levels decreased rapidly. This study provides insight into the association between exposure to NB and its phytotoxic effects on rice seedlings, and assesses the potential risk of NB bioaccumulation for crops that require a large amount of irrigation water.

Keywords: Gene expression; Nitrobenzene; Oxidative stress; Photosynthetic pigment; Rice.

MeSH terms

Antioxidants / metabolism
Bioaccumulation
Nitrobenzenes / metabolism
Nitrobenzenes / pharmacology
Oryza* / genetics
Oxidative Stress
Plant Roots / metabolism
Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
Seedlings*

Substances

Antioxidants
Reactive Oxygen Species
Nitrobenzenes