title: Ascorbic acid enhances the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in roots of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.).
abstract: Plant contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is crucial to food safety and human health. Enzyme inhibitors are commonly utilized in agriculture to control plant metabolism of organic components. This study revealed that the enzyme inhibitor ascorbic acid (AA) significantly reduced the activities of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), thus enhancing the potential risks of PAH contamination in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). POD and PPO enzymes in vitro effectively decomposed naphthalene (NAP), phenanthrene (PHE) and anthracene (ANT). The presence of AA reduced POD and PPO activities in plants, and thus was likely responsible for enhanced PAH accumulation in tall fescue. This conclusion is supported by the significantly enhanced uptake of PHE in plants in the presence of AA, and the positive correlation between enzyme inhibition efficiencies and the rates of metabolism of PHE in tall fescue roots. This study provides a new perspective, that the common application of enzyme inhibitors in agricultural production could increase the accumulation of organic contaminants in plants, hence enhancing risks to food safety and quality.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, PR China. gaoyanzheng@njau.edu.cn
authors.forename: Yanzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuaishuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000873:Anthracenes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001692:Biological Transport; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D057075:Enzyme Assays; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031751:Festuca / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D007700:Kinetics; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C031721:naphthalene; C031181:phenanthrene; D004156:Catechol Oxidase; D009195:Peroxidase; C034020:anthracene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid