title: Targeting key metabolic points for an enhanced phytoremediation of wastewaters pre-treated by the photo-Fenton process using Solanum nigrum L.
abstract: Several physiological, biochemical and molecular biology responses were analysed in Solanum nigrum L. plants exposed for 28 days to an effluent that resulted from the photo-Fenton treatment of a highly concentrated pesticide and systemic fungicide aqueous solution, containing metalaxyl as active compound (150mgL(-1)), in order to pinpoint metabolic steps for a future increase of these plants' capacity to deal with the chemical process by-products. Although plants suffered oxidative stress, as indicated by increased membrane damage and a negative effect on plant biomass, they absorbed the excess iron and acted on the resulting by-products present in the effluent after the photo-Fenton process. Nitrogen assimilation and metallothionein gene expression were down regulated, while glutathione biosynthesis increased. These results suggest an enhanced nitrogen assimilation and/or metallothionein accumulation as relevant key points for further plant improvement in order to increase the efficiency of this innovative strategy that considers integration of the photo-Fenton process (as chemical primary treatment) with S. nigrum L. plants (as biological remediation post-treatment) for heavily polluted wastewaters.
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: agteixei@fc.up.pt.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ferraz87@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: charlote_gouveia@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gouveia
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: frederico.azevedo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Frederico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: up200902612@fc.up.pt.
authors.forename: Simão
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: BioISI - BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ffidalgo@fc.up.pt.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fidalgo
authors.affiliation: LCM - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials - Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: adrian@fe.up.pt.
authors.forename: Adrián M T
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D032324:Solanum nigrum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D005978:Glutathione; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007501:Iron; D008668:Metallothionein; D009584:Nitrogen; D016877:Oxidants; D062065:Wastewater; C045076:Fenton's reagent; C028175:metalaxyl
keywords: Black nightshade; Gene expression; Glutamine synthetase; Metallothionein; Organic pollutants; Oxidative metabolism