Co-Phytotoxic of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and synthetic surfactants on spirodela polyrrhiza and leman perpusilla

Abstract

Using of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and synthetic surfactant increase the chemical contamination in water. The co-phytotoxicity of EDTA (0-20 mg/l) and 3 synthetic surfactants; Triton X-100 (0-10xCMC), Tween 80 (0-10xCMC) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (0-2 x CMC) on the growth of 2 duckweeds, spirodela polyrrhiza and Lemma perpusilla, were studied for 3 days. The results showed that the surfactant were phytotoxic on the growth of both plants while EDTA was not. SDS was the most toxic to plant especially on all chlorophyll content. Triton X-100 was only toxic to the growth of L. perpusilla and weight of S. polyrrhiza. Tween 80 was less or the least toxic to both plants. This surfactant only decreased chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll content of S.polyrrhiza and L. perpusilla. There was not any interaction between EDTA and surfactant on most toxicity tests. With these results, synthetic surfactant contamination should be more concerned than co-contamination with EDTA.