Multigenerational toxicity effects and impact of antibiotics exposed to duckweed, Lemna minor

Abstract

The escalating presence of antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems poses substantial risks to public health and ecosystem stability. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of three common antibiotics—ciprofloxacin (CIP), erythromycin (ERY), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX)—on the growth and physiology of Lemna minor (L. minor) across three generations (parental (F0), first filial (F1), and second filial (F2)). Specifically, the research aimed to determine how these antibiotics influence frond number, frond area, root area, and photosynthetic pigment content in L. minor. Higher concentrations of CIP (50 μg/L, 250 μg/L, and 1250 μg/L) significantly decreased frond numbers (F2 > F1 > F0), while ERY exhibited the opposite trend, and SMX displayed adaptation in F2. ERY increased frond area at a lower concentration (10 μg/L), while high concentrations of CIP (250 μg/L and 1250 μg/L) and lower concentrations of SMX (10 μg/L and 50 μg/L) reduced it. CIP displayed a biphasic response on root growth, with 10 μg/L decreasing root area by 760 μm² and 50 μg/L and 1250 μg/L, increasing it by 2480 μm² and 2300 μm², respectively. ERY consistently inhibited root growth. The F1 generation showed the most pronounced reduction in green area, particularly under higher CIP concentrations (1250 μg/L). Chlorophyll A (Chl A) and carotenoid contents were resilient to antibiotic stress, while Chlorophyll B (Chl B) exhibited generation-specific responses. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring of antibiotics in aquatic systems and calls for further research on the long-term impacts of antibiotics on aquatic plants and ecosystems.