An insight into the jarosite waste-driven phytotoxicity in Salvia hispanica L

Incessant modern-day demands driven by the exploding population, rapid industrialization, and urbanization have led to the discharge of heavy metals in the surrounding environment, particularly in the form of byproducts such as jarosite. These compounds, when leached out into the soil and water bodies, jeopardize the balance of the agroecosystem. Despite substantial physicochemical characterization of jarosite, its morphological and cytological effects on plants remain in their infancy. Therefore, the current study aims to characterize and identify the phytotoxic aftereffects of jarosite on Salvia hispanica L. (Chia). Several analyses, such as XRD, identified natrojarosite as the dominant phase, while FTIR depicted various functional groups, including hydroxyl and sulphates. For phytotoxicity tests, at different concentrations of jarosite, viz. T0 (Control), T1 (5%), T2 (10%), T3 (25%), and T4 (50%), the germination % showed a stimulatory effect at T1 and T2 and then declined at T3 and T4. The germination % of the control group was 69.33%, while the highest dose achieved 36% on the third day. Similarly, significant reductions in seedling length and vigor index were observed with increasing jarosite concentration (p < 0.05). Moreover, the cytological assessment revealed a significant decline in the Active Mitotic Index (AMI) from 11.88% at T0 to 6.41% at T4 (p < 0.05). Various chromosomal abnormalities, including scattering, stickiness, and bridges, were identified, and the Total Abnormality Percentage (TAB) was calculated accordingly. At the highest jarosite concentration, its value was 5.44%. This study highlights the potential ecological risks, suggesting that jarosite, if not disposed of carefully, can disrupt the surrounding ecosystem through sedimentation and leaching, leading to phytotoxicity.