Abstract
Although iron oxide occurs naturally in the environment, iron oxide nanoparticles have distinct mobility, reactivity, and toxicity, which can harm the human health and nature. This scenario has motivated the investigation of the toxic effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (akaganeite predominance + hematite) on the aquatic plant Lemna minor. First, nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized; then, different iron oxide NP concentrations were added to Lemna minor culture. After 7 days, all the Lemna minor leaves died, irrespective of the added NP concentration. The iron oxide NP impact on the plant was evaluated based on malondialdehyde (MDA) production from thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), which was dose-dependent; i.e., lipid peroxidation in the plant increased with rising iron oxide NP concentration. The chlorophyll content decreased at high iron oxide NP concentrations, which disrupted the light absorption mechanism. Fe accumulation in Lemna minor roots also occurred, which can harm nutrient uptake. Therefore, the iron oxide NP toxic impact on plants and related ecosystems requires further studies in order to prevent environmental damage.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are very grateful to the research group of Prof. Dr. Luiz Alberto Beraldo de Moraes, from the University of São Paulo, for supplying the Lemna minor samples. We are also grateful to Cynthia M. C. Prado Manso for reviewing the manuscript.
Funding
The authors are very grateful to the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the scholarship, Finance Code 001, and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP: 2016/13951-1) for financial support.
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Souza, L.R.R., Bernardes, L.E., Barbetta, M.F.S. et al. Iron oxide nanoparticle phytotoxicity to the aquatic plant Lemna minor: effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 24121–24131 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05713-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05713-x