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Biochemical responses of Lemna minor experimentally exposed to cadmium and zinc

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Abstract

The effects of 5 μM cadmium (Cd), a non-essential toxic element and 25 and 50 μM zinc (Zn), an essential micronutrient, were investigated in aquatic plant Lemna minor L. after 4 and 7 days of exposure to each metal alone or to their combinations. Both metals showed tendency to accumulate with time, but when present in combination, they reduced uptake of each other. Cd treatment increased the lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation indicating appearance of oxidative stress. However, Zn supplementation in either concentration reduced values of both parameters, while exposure to Zn alone resulted in elevated level of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation but only on the 7th day. Enhanced DNA damage, which was found on the 4th day in plants treated with Cd alone or in combination with Zn, was reduced on the 7th day in combined treatments. Higher catalase activity obtained in all treated plants on the 4th day of experiment was reduced in Zn-treated plants, but remained high in plants exposed to Cd alone or in combination with Zn after 7 days. Cd exposure resulted in higher peroxidase activity, while Zn addition prominently reduced peroxidase activity in the plants subjected to Cd stress. In conclusion, Cd induced more pronounced oxidative stress and DNA damage than Zn in applied concentrations. Combined treatments showed lower values of oxidative stress parameters—lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and peroxidase activity as well as lower DNA damage, which indicates alleviating effect of Zn on oxidative stress in Cd-treated plants.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, projects no. 119-1191196-1202 and 119-0982934-3110.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Biljana Balen, Petra Cvjetko & Mirjana Pavlica

  2. Department of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Mirta Tkalec & Željka Vidaković-Cifrek

  3. Department of Ecology, Institute of Public Health “Dr. Andrija Štampar”, Mirogojska cesta 16, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Sandra Šikić & Sonja Tolić

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  1. Biljana Balen
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Correspondence to Željka Vidaković-Cifrek.

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Balen, B., Tkalec, M., Šikić, S. et al. Biochemical responses of Lemna minor experimentally exposed to cadmium and zinc. Ecotoxicology 20, 815–826 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0633-1

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