Investigation of the Radioprotective Properties of Lignin under Conditions of Acute Gamma Irradiation of Duckweed Lemna Minor L.

Objective: The work is focused on protecting plant organisms from acute gamma radiation exposure. The study specifically investigates the use of lignin from wild rosemary (Ledum palustre L.) as a radioprotective agent for the aquatic plant Lemna minor L. Methods: Lemna minor L. was irradiated at doses up to 63 Gy, and the plant biomarkers were assessed. Water-soluble lignin from wild rosemary was used to cultivate plants in aqueous lignin-containing media to evaluate its potential radioprotective effects. Results and Discussion: The study found that water-soluble lignin from wild rosemary is not toxic to Lemna minor L. Pre-cultivating the plants in lignin-containing media resulted in a reduction of radiation-induced damage and an increase in root length, suggesting the adaptogenic and radioprotective properties of lignin. These findings were observed at both the organismal and populational levels. Conclusions: The research for the first time proposed a hypothesis about the radioprotective potential of lignin and experimentally demonstrated that exogenous lignin could protect plant organisms from the effects of acute exposure to high-dose gamma radiation.