Comparative study of plant growth hormone (herbicide) toxicity in various biological subjects.

Due to their widespread distribution and toxic nature, herbicides may have a serious impact on the environment and exert adverse effects on associated organisms. The present study was conducted to determine the acute toxicological effects of some plant growth hormones used as herbicides on four biological subjects and compare the subjects' sensitivity to individual testing substances. The herbicides 4-(indol-3-yl)acetic acid C10H9O2N (IAA), N6-(beta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine (pi-indolylpropionic acid) C11H11O2N (IPA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid C8H6O3Cl2 (2,4-D), 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid C9H9O3Cl (MCPA), and 1,napthylacetic acid C12H10O2 (NAA) were tested and the following biological subjects were used: Daphnia magna, Tubifex tubifex, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and seeds of Sinapis alba. For S. alba, the influence of herbicides on seed germination (G) and root growth inhibition (I) was observed. For T. tubifex, the tests lasted 96 hr, for D. magna 48 hr, for S. quadricauda 20 days, and for S. alba 72 hr. The rank order of toxicity of herbicides used for T. tubifex was NAA > IAA > IPA > 2,4-D > MCPA; for D. magna. NAA > IAA > IPA > MCPA > 2,4-D; for S. quadricauda, IAA > IPA > NAA > MCPA > 2,4-D; for S. alba seed germination, NAA > IPA > 2,4-D > MCPA > IAA; and for root growth inhibition. NAA > 2,4-D > MCPA > IAA > IPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)