Water-soluble acrylates copolymers are widely used in many different areas: among others in cosmetics, pharmaceutics, fertilizers, in the process of water desalination, and paper production. They are used in large quantities, but their impact on the environment is still unknown. Because they are classified as plastics and not as chemicals, they are not included in the European regulation (e.g. REACH), therefore, their ecotoxicity and impact on the environment are not investigated and regulated. In this thesis, we investigated the effect of a water-soluble acrylates copolymer on a duckweed Lemna minor. The effects on plant growth and contents of photosynthetic pigments were investigated. The results showed that tested acrylates copolymer negatively affects duckweed. We observed the effect on plant growth rate and contents of chlorophyll a. Since the effects were detected at very low concentrations, it is important to evaluate the ecotoxicity of water-soluble polymers and to evaluate their environmental risks.
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