Bisphenol A’s impact on the germination and growth rate of Brassica rapa


Meeting Abstract

P1-184  Thursday, Jan. 4 15:30 – 17:30   Bisphenol A’s impact on the germination and growth rate of Brassica rapa. FEIPEL, C. W.*; TATUM PARKER , T; Saint Xavier University feipel.c01@mymail.sxu.edu

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic synthetic compound that is soluble in organic solvents, commercially used since 1957. It is used to make plastics and epoxy resins and is commonly found in items such as water bottles, canned goods, water pipes, and is even used to line cardboard containers like juice boxes. The presence of BPA in consumer goods and its ability to leach into its surroundings after the plastic item is discarded has an impact on humans and the environment. There is a known link between BPA and increased risk of obesity, genetic modification, and decreased female reproductive fitness in humans. While the medical concerns in humans are the subject of many current studies, the environmental effects of BPA are far less studied. BPA entering bodies of water can cause harm to wildlife, where it can enter the food chain through the water table. We hypothesize that BPA would affect the fitness of Brassica rapa, the Wisconsin Fast Plant. We chose this model species because it is considered a common phytoremediator, a plant commonly used to offset pollutants in soils and water sources. We exposed B. rapa to BPA in six concentrations between 0.05mg/L and 50mg/L. We collected germination and growth rates, as well as wet/dry weight and root/leaf morphology as a proxy for overall fitness. After this initial study, we hope to continue experimentation with BPA on both native plant species and other model species, to examine larger ecological effects.

the Society for
Integrative &
Comparative
Biology