Unraveling the Impact of Bisphenol A on Genomic Integrity of <i>Hordeum vulgare</i> Seedlings

Bisphenol A, a widely used industrial chemical in plastic manufacturing, is a pervasive environmental xenobiotic. Due to its widespread use and leakage from materials, it has become a significant environmental pollutant and has been detected in soil, water, and air. Its negative effects on health have been well described in humans and animals. However, in organisms lacking an endocrine system, such as plants, little work has been done regarding potential genotoxicity. Therefore, this study demonstrates the genotoxic effect of bisphenol A (BPA) on barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings at concentrations of 10–100 mg/L using the comet assay. No impact on grain germination was detected; however, we observed decreased root and shoot lengths and growth indices, mostly at higher concentrations, decreased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents at all concentrations, and altered gene expression of antioxidant enzymes. Taken together, these results show that increased concentrations of BPA have adverse effects on barley plants, and strategies for their elimination need to be found.