Effect of luminescent materials on the aquatic macrophyte Vallisneria natans and periphytic biofilm.

ABSTRACT

Luminescent materials can adjust the spectrum of light energy utilization by plants. However, current research on the effects of luminescent materials on aquatic plants and periphytic biofilms is limited. This study investigated the effects of the luminescent materials 4-(di-p-tolylamino) benzaldehyde-A (DTB-A) and 4-(di-p-tolylamino) benzaldehyde-M (DTB-M) on the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans (V. natans) and periphytic biofilm. Result demonstrated that low concentrations of DTB (0.1 µM) significantly promoted the growth and photosynthetic rate of V. natans. In terms of enzyme activity, exposure to a higher concentration of DTB (10 µM) increased the activities of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). A combination of DTB-A and DTB-M treatment significantly changed the V. natans morphology and physiological characteristics, reducing the thickness of the cell wall and subsequently, promoting protein accumulation in leaves. There was no difference in the removal of ammonia or phosphate by V. natans at the 0.1 µM concentration, and the removal of ammonia and phosphate by V. natans decreased significantly as the concentration of luminescent material increased. A total of 3563 OTUs were identified in the biofilm community. The microbial community was dominated by Pseudomonas and Fusobacteria. Furthermore, results showed that an obvious decrease in diversity in the DTB-A and DTB-M mixed treatment group. In addition, the migratory aggregation of DTB molecules in plants was observed by fluorescence imaging. Overall, these findings extend our understanding of the mechanism of effect of luminescent materials on submerged macrophytes and their periphytic microorganisms.