Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract: (1630 Views)
The increasing use of antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases in humans, animals, fish, and poultry has raised serious environmental concerns. The continuous and growing use, long-term persistence, and inadequate removal of antibiotics have had impacts on soil and water ecosystems. Approximately 50 to 90 percent of antibiotics and their metabolites are excreted initially, and these substances naturally reach the roots of plants through water and soil, where they are absorbed by plants and reduce their performance and agricultural productivity. Moreover, these substances may also have harmful effects on humans. Antibiotics exert their effects on plant processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, oxidative metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, germination, and plant establishment. One of the consequences and effects of antibiotics on plants is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can be toxic. If plant antioxidant systems fail to counteract them, it can lead to toxic symptoms and damage to the plant. Oxidation of membrane lipids and damage to macromolecules and plant cell structures are among these damages.