The effect of Anthracene on oxidative stress factors in Medicago sativa L.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the tensions that inhibit plant growth and create imbalance between the production of Reactive Oxygen Species and antioxidant defense activities of the plant. Anthracene is the main pollutants in the petrochemical industry, which is located on the list of toxic pollutants, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). In this study is to evaluate the effect of anthracene on some parameters of oxidative stress in Medicago sativa after 12 days of treatment with anthracene (2, 4 mmol per liter) in hydroponics, shoot and root tissues of the plants were harvested and used to measure biochemical parameters. The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), polyphenol oxidase(PPO), glutathione transferase(GST), peroxidase(PO), malondialdehyde and enzyme ascorbate peroxidase(APX) in shoot and root, as well as the activity of chlorophyll b and a the shoot was determined. The results showed that The high activities of SOD, APX, SPO, PPO and GST on the shoot of 4 mM anthracene is significant. Anthracene treatment, decreased MDA levels in shoot significantly. It is also associated with increased concentrations of chlorophyll a and b. Also increases the activity of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase is the result of the production of phenolic compounds in the plant.