Biological gibberellin instigated phytoremediation of diclofenac by Atriplexlentiformis

Pharmaceutical active compounds such as diclofenac (DCF) pose serious risks to aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, the development of safe and inexpensive phytoremediation strategies is essential. This study assessed the effect of foliar-applied biological gibberellin (BG; 0, 50, 100, and 150 mg L^-1), produced by Fusarium proliferatum, on the remediation capacity of Atriplex lentiformis halophyte grown hydroponically under DCF contamination (0, 15, and 30 μg L^-1). A. lentiformis effectively removed DCF from the medium, while BG implementation further boosted the DCF removal efficiency, bioaccumulation, and translocation factors. The application of 150 mg L^-1 BG to 30 μg L^-1 DCF achieved up to 80 % DCF removal and the maximum accumulation of DCF by 154.8 % over the control. BG also promoted plant growth and photosynthetic pigments while mitigating DCF toxicity by enhancing non-enzymatic antioxidants (AsA, GSH, phenolics, and proline) and antioxidant enzymes (APX, GPX, PPO, GR, and PAL), and reducing stress biomarkers (MDA, H₂O₂, and electrolyte leakage). BG treatments modified protein patterns and induced new isozyme profiles, reflecting a strengthened antioxidant system. Overall, BG is a promising solution that serves as an eco-friendly biostimulant to enhance phytoremediation efficiency. Extending this approach to soil systems may provide a sustainable strategy for managing pharmaceutical pollution.