Ecotoxicological Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Butylparaben in Edaphic Organisms Using Multiple Biomarkers

TL;DR

This study evaluates the harmful effects of butylparaben on soil organisms and plants, showing negative impacts on growth and health.

Contribution

This is the first study to assess butylparaben's ecotoxicity in plants and earthworms at real-world concentrations.

Findings

Butylparaben caused oxidative stress and inhibited root growth in tested plants.

Earthworms avoided soil contaminated with butylparaben, indicating behavioral changes.

Exposure to butylparaben increased free radicals and lipid peroxidation in earthworms.

Abstract

Butylparaben (BuP) recurrently contaminates soils worldwide, mainly by incorporating sewage sludge into cultivated areas, using wastewater in irrigation, and leaching contaminated soils. However, there are few studies on the ecotoxicological effects of this paraben on edaphic organisms. The ecotoxicity of BuP was evaluated in seeds of
Daucus carota
,
Allium cepa
, and
Cucumis sativus
, in the roots of
A. cepa
bulbs, and in
Eisenia fetida
earthworms, at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 500 ng/L. In root meristems, the four concentrations of BuP induced lipid peroxidation and raised the levels of superoxide radicals, which triggered inhibition of cell division and mitotic spindle alteration, significantly reducing the growth of roots in seeds and bulbs. In animals, BuP at 10, 50, 100, and 500 ng/L caused 80%, 80%, 70%, and 90% evasion of earthworms from artificial soil, respectively. In addition, this paraben did not cause mortality in earthworms after 14 days of exposure. However, all concentrations increased the production of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in cells and caused lipid peroxidation. Thus, increased exposure to this compound can affect the ecological functions negatively and/or cause the death of these animals. Therefore, recurrent contamination with BuP can negatively impact soil quality, posing a risk to agricultural productivity and the environment. This study is a pioneer in the ecotoxicological evaluation of BuP in plants at environmentally relevant concentrations and in the behavioral and oxidative stress study in earthworms.

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