Acute Lethal Toxicity of Heavy Metals to the Seeds of Plants of High Importance to Humans.
Kamila Pokorska-NiewiadaMonika Rajkowska-MyśliwiecMikołaj ProtasowickiPublished in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology (2018)
Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the effects of highly toxic and dangerous metals (Pb, Cd, Hg) and essential microelements (Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn) on the seed germination process in vetch and eight plant species of major importance to human consumption. The degree of metal toxicity was determined on the basis of acute LC50 values calculated by means of two different methods. All the metals were found to inhibit the germination process, but in a varying, species-dependent degree. Of all the plant seeds under study, the most sensitive to the presence of the examined metals during germination were the seeds of cress (Cu, Pb, Hg), rye (Ni, Zn, Cd) and barley (Cr), while vetch (Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg), rape (Cr, Cu) and pea (Ni, Cd) were found to be least affected.
Keyphrases
- heavy metals
- health risk assessment
- aqueous solution
- health risk
- risk assessment
- metal organic framework
- liver failure
- human health
- endothelial cells
- sewage sludge
- nk cells
- fluorescent probe
- respiratory failure
- oxidative stress
- intensive care unit
- living cells
- drinking water
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
- tandem mass spectrometry
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
- high resolution
- induced pluripotent stem cells