Hongyan Guo Ran Tian Jianguo Zhu Hui Zhou Daping Pei Xiaorong Wang. Combined cadmium and elevated ozone affect concentrations of cadmium and antioxidant systems in wheat under fully open-air conditions. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2012 209– 210: 27– 33.
Abstract
Pollution of the environment with both ozone (O3) and heavy metals has been steadily increasing. An understanding of their combined effects on plants especially crops is limited. Here we studied the effects of elevated O3 on oxidative stress and bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) in wheat under Cd stress using a free-air concentration enrichment (FACE) system. In this field experiment in Jiangdu (Jiangsu Province China) wheat plants were grown in pots containing soil with various concentrations of cadmium (0 2 and 10 mg kg−1 Cd was added to the soil) under ambient conditions and under elevated O3 levels (50% higher than the ambient O3). Present results showed that elevated O3 led to higher concentrations of Cd in wheat tissues (shoots husk and grains) with respect to contaminated soil. Combined exposure to Cd and elevated O3 levels strongly affected the antioxidant isoenzymes POD APX and CAT and accelerated oxidative stress in wheat leaves. Our results suggest that elevated O3 levels cause a reduction in food quality and safety.
