Evaluation of the spatiotemporal effects of bisphenol A on the leaves of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa

The organic pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) causes adverse effects on aquatic biota. The present study explored the toxicity mechanism of environmentally occurring BPA concentrations (0.03–3 μg L−1) on the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa intermediate leaf photosynthetic machinery. A "mosaic" type BPA effect pattern was observed, with "unaffected" and "affected”" leaf areas. In negatively affected leaf areas cells had a dark appearance and lost their chlorophyll auto-fluorescence, while hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content increased time-dependently. In the "unaffected" leaf areas, cells exhibited increased phenolic compound production. At 1 μg L−1 of BPA exposure, there was no effect on the fraction of open reaction centers (qP) compared to control and also no significant effect on the quantum yield of non-regulated non-photochemical energy loss in PSII (ΦΝΟ). However, a 3 μg L−1 BPA application resulted in a significant ΦΝΟ increase, even from the first exposure day. Ultrastructural observations revealed electronically dense damaged thylakoids in the plastids, while effects on Golgi dictyosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum were also observed at 3 μg L−1 BPA. The up-regulated H2O2 BPA-derived production seems to be a key factor causing both oxidative damages but probably also triggering retrograde signalling, conferring tolerance to BPA in the "unaffected" leaf areas. [Display omitted] •Environmentally relevant BPA concentrations affected C. nodosa leaves. •A "mosaic" type BPA-effect occurred with severely deteriorating affected cells. •Affected leaf cells lost their chlorophyll auto-fluorescence and accumulated H2O2. •Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging confirmed the “mosaic” type effect pattern. •Unaffected leaf areas accumulated phenolics, probably alleviating BPA−toxicity.