Soil accumulation and plant uptake of pharmaceutical active compounds and related metabolites from irrigation water in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)
Multivariate statistical analyses revealed compound-specific patterns governed by physicochemical properties such as ionization and hydrophobicity. Overall, fennel crop showed a restricted capacity to accumulate and translocate PhACs to bulbs, suggesting a physiological barrier that may reduce human health risks when using treated wastewater for irrigation. The results provide new insights into the environmental safety of wastewater reuse, with a specific focus on its impact on crop yield, highlighting the need for crop-specific assessments.
Authors
- Federica Carucci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6460-6333)
- Michele Denora (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7218-1953)
- Francesco De Mastro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9130-5341)
- Marcella Michela Giuliani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9014-1955)
- Gennaro Brunetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3904-0742)
- Anna Gagliardi
- Giuseppe Gatta
- Michele Perniola
Institutions
- University of Foggia (IT)
- Università degli Studi della Tuscia (IT)
- University of Basilicata (IT)
- Department of Forestry (MW)
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Plant Science
- Published
- 2026-02-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1664441
- Primary Topic
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca