Phytotoxic Effects of Textile Wastewater Contaminants on Lepidium sativum: Impact of Ozone-Based Treatment
- 1Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116 St., 90-924 Lodz, Poland
- 2Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116 St., 90-924 Lodz, Poland
- 3Division of Molecular Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116 St., 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Abstract
This study investigates the phytotoxicity of textile wastewater and its degradation by-products using Lepidium sativum as a sensitive bioindicator. Model solutions of Reactive Black 5 (RB5), 4-chloroaniline, and H-acid, as well as real textile wastewater containing dye mixtures, were subjected to catalytic ozonation with plasma-deposited thin-film catalysts (based on Co3O4, Fe2O3 and W-compounds) and structured substrate (Al2O3) obtained by thermal treatment of kantal mesh. Phytotoxicity was assessed via the Germination Index (GI), integrating seed germination and root elongation. The degree of pollutant degradation was monitored through absorbance reduction at the characteristic absorption maximum (λmax) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Catalytic ozonation of RB5 led to 96–97% absorbance reduction and 29–44% COD removal after 45 min and a corresponding GI improvement from 50% to 65%, indicating partial detoxification. However, despite substantial absorbance reductions (91–92% for 4-chloroaniline and 48–75% for H-acid) and COD removal (22–45% and 54–62%, respectively), GI values decreased further, revealing the persistence of toxic intermediates. Real wastewater samples remained highly phytotoxic (GI = 0%), regardless of absorbance and COD decline, likely due to complex composition of the textile effluent matrix with the effect of elevated pH. These findings demonstrate that color or COD alone is insufficient to predict ecological safety, and underscore the need for integrating phytotoxicity assays in evaluating advanced oxidation processes. Lepidium sativum proved to be a valuable tool for detecting residual toxicity, supporting its application in environmentally relevant wastewater assessment.
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BibTeX
@article{bilinska2026phytotoxic,
title = {{Phytotoxic Effects of Textile Wastewater Contaminants on Lepidium sativum: Impact of Ozone-Based Treatment}},
author = {Magdalena Bilińska and Aleksandra Kędzierska-Sar and Ryszard Kapica and Marta Gmurek and Lucyna Bilińska},
journal = {Molecules},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/molecules31214017},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/4017},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Phytotoxic Effects of Textile Wastewater Contaminants on Lepidium sativum: Impact of Ozone-Based Treatment
AU - Magdalena Bilińska
AU - Aleksandra Kędzierska-Sar
AU - Ryszard Kapica
AU - Marta Gmurek
AU - Lucyna Bilińska
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/07
JO - Molecules
DO - 10.3390/molecules31214017
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/4017
AB - This study investigates the phytotoxicity of textile wastewater and its degradation by-products using Lepidium sativum as a sensitive bioindicator. Model solutions of Reactive Black 5 (RB5), 4-chloroaniline, and H-acid, as well as real textile wastewater containing dye mixtures, were subjected to catalytic ozonation with plasma-deposited thin-film catalysts (based on Co3O4, Fe2O3 and W-compounds) and structured substrate (Al2O3) obtained by thermal treatment of kantal mesh. Phytotoxicity was assessed via the Germination Index (GI), integrating seed germination and root elongation. The degree of pollutant degradation was monitored through absorbance reduction at the characteristic absorption maximum (λmax) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Catalytic ozonation of RB5 led to 96–97% absorbance reduction and 29–44% COD removal after 45 min and a corresponding GI improvement from 50% to 65%, indicating partial detoxification. However, despite substantial absorbance reductions (91–92% for 4-chloroaniline and 48–75% for H-acid) and COD removal (22–45% and 54–62%, respectively), GI values decreased further, revealing the persistence of toxic intermediates. Real wastewater samples remained highly phytotoxic (GI = 0%), regardless of absorbance and COD decline, likely due to complex composition of the textile effluent matrix with the effect of elevated pH. These findings demonstrate that color or COD alone is insufficient to predict ecological safety, and underscore the need for integrating phytotoxicity assays in evaluating advanced oxidation processes. Lepidium sativum proved to be a valuable tool for detecting residual toxicity, supporting its application in environmentally relevant wastewater assessment.
SN - 1420-3049
ER -