Evaluation of the Toxicity of Wet Wipes Based on the Growth Test with Lepidium sativum L.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicity of wet wipes from manufacturers of different countries using the growth test with garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.). This study used nine variants of wet wipes produced in Ukraine, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Germination energy (on the third day), germination, and biometric and morphometric characteristics (on the fifth day) were determined. The phytotoxic indexes were calculated. It was established that 78% of the tested wet wipes (60% from Ukrainian production and 100% from foreign production) possessed extreme toxicity. Therefore, the tested wet wipes contain toxic substances (in particular, surfactants), show phytotoxicity and can be a source of environmental pollution.