Abstract
This work was designed to investigate the phyototoxicity of methyl tert-butyl Ether (MTBE) to metabolic activity of white corn (Zea mays L.) plants. The four-week-old potted plants were subjected to four weekly doses (50 ml of MTBE) at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 5.0, 10 and 15 %). Growth parameters indicated significant (p <= 0.05) inhibition only at the high concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 %) of MTBE. The leaf area and chlorophyll-A contents decreased as the concentration of MTBE increased. A marked increase of lipid peroxidase activity was recorded at the different MTBE concentration, while a slight decrease of catalase activity was recorded at the same MTBE concentration. The impaired growth and anabolic activities in white corn plant resulted from the oxidative stress of MTBE.
[Mona A. Ismail, Laila M. Abu Al-Ola, Salih A. Bazaid, Mohamed S. Beltagi. Influence of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) on white Corn (Zea mays L.) Plant Growth. Life Sci J 2012; 9(2):851-856].