The Effects of Applying Multiple Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products on the Model Terrestrial Plant Arabidopsis Thaliana
Mentor 1
Catherine Chan
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
24-4-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
24-4-2015 3:45 PM
Description
Increased use of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and subsequent excretion and disposal into sewer systems, produces high levels of PPCPs accumulation in the environment. Wastewater treatment plants can spread these PPCPs to major bodies of water through discharged effluent and soil using bio solid application. Previous research at UW-Whitewater and published literature show that when applied singularly chemicals such as caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin (including its derivatives) have the potential to significantly impact terrestrial plants. For example, caffeine has been documented as an allelopathy (Anaya et al. 2006). Research at UW-Whitewater showed aspirin having a significant impact on Arabidopsis thaliana, a model terrestrial plant, at levels as low as 1 ppm. The effects of acetaminophen, whose US production exceeds 24 billion dosses (IMS Health & 2008), on terrestrial plants has not been explored thoroughly. All three are found together in wastewater effluent and yet no known research investigates the growth effects of these PPCPs acting in combination on terrestrial plants. Therefore, the focus of my study will be to apply caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin in combination to Arabidopsis and measure the effect of these PPCPs on growth parameters such as germination, root growth, and photosynthetic rate. PPCPs may accumulate within plants, I will also explore their effects on germination of seeds and growth of seedlings that are derived from plants exposed to these chemicals. My goal is to determine whether applying these PPCPs in combination will impact Arabidopsis growth using dosages lower than then those applied singularly. My study will help us better understand the potential impacts of having these PPCPs in the environment.
The Effects of Applying Multiple Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products on the Model Terrestrial Plant Arabidopsis Thaliana
Union Wisconsin Room
Increased use of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and subsequent excretion and disposal into sewer systems, produces high levels of PPCPs accumulation in the environment. Wastewater treatment plants can spread these PPCPs to major bodies of water through discharged effluent and soil using bio solid application. Previous research at UW-Whitewater and published literature show that when applied singularly chemicals such as caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin (including its derivatives) have the potential to significantly impact terrestrial plants. For example, caffeine has been documented as an allelopathy (Anaya et al. 2006). Research at UW-Whitewater showed aspirin having a significant impact on Arabidopsis thaliana, a model terrestrial plant, at levels as low as 1 ppm. The effects of acetaminophen, whose US production exceeds 24 billion dosses (IMS Health & 2008), on terrestrial plants has not been explored thoroughly. All three are found together in wastewater effluent and yet no known research investigates the growth effects of these PPCPs acting in combination on terrestrial plants. Therefore, the focus of my study will be to apply caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin in combination to Arabidopsis and measure the effect of these PPCPs on growth parameters such as germination, root growth, and photosynthetic rate. PPCPs may accumulate within plants, I will also explore their effects on germination of seeds and growth of seedlings that are derived from plants exposed to these chemicals. My goal is to determine whether applying these PPCPs in combination will impact Arabidopsis growth using dosages lower than then those applied singularly. My study will help us better understand the potential impacts of having these PPCPs in the environment.
