Phytotoxic and genotoxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles on garlic (Allium sativum L.): A morphological study

Abstract The effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the root growth, root apical meristem mitosis and mitotic aberrations of garlic (Allium sativum L.) were investigated. ZnO NPs caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of root length. When treated with 50 mg/L ZnO NPs for 24 h, the root growth of garlic was completely blocked. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) was estimated to be 15 mg/L. The mitosis index was also decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. ZnO NPs also induced several kinds of mitotic aberrations, mainly consisted of chromosome stickiness, bridges, breakages and laggings. The total percentage of abnormal cells increased with the increase of ZnO NPs concentration and the prolongation of treatment time. The investigation provided new information for the possible genotoxic effects of ZnO NPs on plants.

[1]  G. E. Gadd,et al.  Comparative toxicity of nanoparticulate ZnO, bulk ZnO, and ZnCl2 to a freshwater microalga (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata): the importance of particle solubility. , 2007, Environmental science & technology.

[2]  Jing Wang,et al.  Acute toxicological impact of nano- and submicro-scaled zinc oxide powder on healthy adult mice , 2008 .

[3]  M. Anderson,et al.  Visible Luminescence and Surface Properties of Nanosized ZnO Colloids Prepared by Hydrolyzing Zinc Acetate , 1998 .

[4]  Yinfa Ma,et al.  Toxicity of nano- and micro-sized ZnO particles in human lung epithelial cells , 2009 .

[5]  C. Zhang,et al.  RESEARCH OF THE EFFECT OF NANOMETER MATERIALS ON GERMINATION AND GROWTH ENHANCEMENT OF GLYCINE MAX AND ITS MECHANISM , 2002 .

[6]  G. Venu,et al.  Mitotic Abnormalities Induced by Silk Dyeing Industry Effluents in the Cells of Allium cepa , 2001 .

[7]  Anne Kahru,et al.  Toxicity of nanosized and bulk ZnO, CuO and TiO2 to bacteria Vibrio fischeri and crustaceans Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus. , 2008, Chemosphere.

[8]  Eric A. Meulenkamp,et al.  Synthesis and Growth of ZnO Nanoparticles , 1998 .

[9]  Y. Min,et al.  Effect of TMS (nanostructured silicon dioxide) on growth of Changbai larch seedlings , 2004, Journal of Forestry Research.

[10]  Ritesh K Shukla,et al.  DNA damaging potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles in human epidermal cells. , 2009, Toxicology letters.

[11]  Robert N Grass,et al.  In vitro cytotoxicity of oxide nanoparticles: comparison to asbestos, silica, and the effect of particle solubility. , 2006, Environmental science & technology.

[12]  Dimitrios Stampoulis,et al.  Assay-dependent phytotoxicity of nanoparticles to plants. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  D. Chang-qun,et al.  Cytogenetical Toxical Effects of Heavy Metals on Vicia faba and Inquires into the ViciaMicro nucleus , 1995 .

[14]  Guadalupe de la Rosa,et al.  Evidence of the differential biotransformation and genotoxicity of ZnO and CeO2 nanoparticles on soybean (Glycine max) plants. , 2010, Environmental science & technology.

[15]  Hikmet Geçkil,et al.  Effects of Metals on Seed Germination, Root Elongation, and Coleoptile and Hypocotyl Growth in Triticum aestivum and Cucumis sativus , 2002, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[16]  A. K. Biswas,et al.  Induced Mutagenesis in Nigella sativa L. , 1985 .

[17]  P. Baglioni,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles: application to textiles as UV-absorbers , 2008 .

[18]  M. Benedetti,et al.  Toxicological impact studies based on Escherichia coli bacteria in ultrafine ZnO nanoparticles colloidal medium. , 2006, Nano letters.

[19]  N. Chandrasekaran,et al.  Genotoxicity of silver nanoparticles in Allium cepa. , 2009, The Science of the total environment.

[20]  C. Torre,et al.  The genotoxicity of Zn(II) and Cd(II) in Allium cepa root meristematic cells , 1996 .

[21]  Nick Serpone,et al.  Inorganic and organic UV filters: Their role and efficacy in sunscreens and suncare products , 2007 .

[22]  A. El-Ghamery,et al.  Evaluation of cytological effects of Zn2+ in relation to germination and root growth of Nigella sativa L. and Triticum aestivum L. , 2003, Mutation research.

[23]  Hee-Seok Kweon,et al.  Toxicity and bioavailability of copper nanoparticles to the terrestrial plants mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus) and wheat (Triticum aestivum): Plant agar test for water‐insoluble nanoparticles , 2008, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[24]  Baoshan Xing,et al.  Phytotoxicity of nanoparticles: inhibition of seed germination and root growth. , 2007, Environmental pollution.

[25]  Baoshan Xing,et al.  Root uptake and phytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[26]  Wei Bai,et al.  Effects of rare earth oxide nanoparticles on root elongation of plants. , 2010, Chemosphere.