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@article{208953,
        author = {Hemanshi Agarwal},
        title = {Effect of Different Concentrations of a Common Pharmaceutical Compound on Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth: A Review},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {5},
        pages = {787-796},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=208953},
        abstract = {Pharmaceutical residues are increasingly recognized as emerging environmental contaminants due to their continuous release from domestic wastewater, hospitals, pharmaceutical industries, improper medicine disposal, and wastewater reuse. Because pharmaceutical compounds are biologically active, their occurrence in aquatic and terrestrial environments may influence non-target organisms, including plants. Paracetamol (acetaminophen), one of the most widely used analgesic and antipyretic drugs, has been detected in wastewater and surface-water systems and has consequently attracted attention in environmental toxicity studies.
This short review summarizes the environmental pathways of pharmaceutical contamination and examines the reported effects of paracetamol on seed germination and early seedling development. It places particular emphasis on the influence of concentration, exposure duration, plant species, and the developmental stage examined. Available evidence indicates that pharmaceutical exposure may not affect all plant responses equally. In wheat (Triticum aestivum), increasing paracetamol concentrations were associated with significant reductions in root and shoot elongation, whereas germination frequency was not significantly affected under the tested conditions. Root growth appeared to be particularly sensitive, and biochemical responses involving chlorophyll accumulation, soluble proteins, and antioxidant enzyme activity were also reported. Studies involving Lactuca sativa and other plant systems further indicate that responses may vary between individual pharmaceutical compounds and mixtures.
These observations highlight the importance of evaluating both germination and post-germination growth when assessing pharmaceutical phytotoxicity. Comparative studies involving multiple concentrations and representative monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous species are warranted to understand better concentration-dependent responses and the potential ecological significance of pharmaceutical residues in the environment.},
        keywords = {Paracetamol; Acetaminophen; Pharmaceutical residues; Emerging contaminants; Seed germination; Seedling growth; Phytotoxicity; Root elongation; Shoot elongation; Environmental contamination},
        month = {October},
        }