Dataset for: Growth and physiological responses in Myriophyllum spicatum L. exposed to linear alkylbenzene sulfonate

The exogenous organic pollutant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is frequently detected in water. Myriophyllum spicatum L., a submerged aquatic plant, is a popular choice for phytoremediation. The present study investigated the growth and physiological responses of M. spicatum to different concentrations of LAS (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 10, 50, 100, 500 mg/L) after 14 and 28 days (D) treatment. After 14 D, higher LAS doses (50-100 mg/L) significantly reduced the growth of M. spicatum as compared with the controls. Plants died at 500 mg/L LAS. The chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents exhibited a markedly increase at higher doses of LAS (10-100 mg/L). LAS significantly enhanced peroxidase (POD) activity at 50 mg/L and lowered superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity at 100 mg/L, while other indices showed no significant changes under LAS stress. After 28 D, no significant effect was observed for the growth of plants when exposed to LAS doses (0.1-100 mg/L), while plants died at 500 mg/L LAS. Compared to the controls. SOD activity was increased significantly at 0.1 mg/L LAS and maintained a same level with the controls at higher concentrations. POD activity in all LAS exposures was higher than the controls. Other indices for M. spicatum had no remarkable changes at 28 D. Our results indicated that the oxidative damage of M. spicatum caused by LAS stress after 28 D is obviously lower than 14 D.