Uptake and subcellular distribution of triclosan in typical hydrophytes under hydroponic conditions

The increasing discharge of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) into the environment has generated serious public concern. The recent awareness of the environmental impact of this emerging class of pollutants and their potential adverse effects on human health have been documented in many reports. However, information regarding uptake and intracellular distribution of PPCPs in hydrophytes under hydroponic conditions, and potential human exposure is very limited. A laboratory experiment was conducted using 14C-labeled triclosan (TCS) to investigate uptake and distribution of TCS in six aquatic plants (water spinach, purple perilla, cress, penny grass, cane shoot, and rice), and the subcellular distribution of 14C-TCS was determined in these plants. The results showed that the uptake and removal rate of TCS from nutrient solution by hydrophytes followed the order of cress (96%) > water spinach (94%) > penny grass (87%) > cane shoot (84%) > purple perilla (78%) > rice (63%) at the end of incubation period (192 h). The range of 14C-TCS content in the roots was 94.3%–99.0% of the added 14C-TCS, and the concentrations in roots were 2–3 orders of magnitude greater than those in shoots. Furthermore, the subcellular fraction-concentration factor (3.6 × 102–2.6 × 103 mL g−1), concentration (0.58–4.47 μg g−1), and percentage (30%–61%) of 14C-TCS in organelles were found predominantly greater than those in cell walls and/or cytoplasm. These results indicate that for these plants, the roots are the primary storage for TCS, and within plant cells organelles are the major domains for TCS accumulation. These findings provide a better understanding of translocation and accumulation of TCS in aquatic plants at the cellular level, which is valuable for environmental and human health assessments of TCS. [Display omitted] •This study used 14C labeling and quantitative radioautography technology.•Different uptake patterns of triclosan (TCS) were observed in hydrophytes by radioautographic imaging.•Cress and water spinach removed 96 and 94% of the 14C-TCS from a nutrient solution.•In the six aquatic plants tested, 14C-TCS was concentrated mostly in the roots.•Organelles were the primary storage of 14C-TCS in plant cells. 14C-TCS concentrated mostly in the roots of hydrophytes and in the organelles in plant cells.