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Magnetic field can alleviate toxicological effect induced by cadmium in mungbean seedlings

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Abstract

To alleviate toxicological effect induced by cadmium in mungbean seedlings, seeds were divided into four groups: The controls groups (CK, without treatment), magnetic field treated groups (MF), cadmium treated groups (CS), and magnetic field treated followed by cadmium treated groups (MF + CS).The results showed: (i) Compared with the controls, cadmium stress resulted in enhancing in the concentration of malondialdehyde, H2O2 and O2−, and the conductivity of electrolyte leakage while decreasing in the nitrice oxide synthase (NOS) activity, the concentration of nitrice oxide (NO), chlorophyll and total carbon and nitrogen, the net photosynthetic rate, the stomatal conductance, the transpiration rate, the water use efficiency, the lateral number and seedlings growth except for intercellular CO2 concentration increase. However, the seedlings treated with 600 mT magnetic field followed by cadmium stress the concentration of malondialdehyde, H2O2 and O2−, and the conductivity of electrolyte leakage decreased, while the above mentioned NO concentration, NOS activity, photosynthesis and growth parameters increased compared to cadmium stress alone. (ii) Compared with the cadmium stress (CS), the seedling growth were inhibited when the seeds were treated with NO scavenger (hemoglobin, HB) and inhibition of NO generating enzyme (sodium tungstate, ST), conversely, the seedling growth were improved by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and CaCl2. In the case of the HB and ST treatment followed by magnetic field and then the seedling subjected to CS, the seedlings growth was better than that of hemoglobin (HB) followed by CS and ST followed by CS. The seeds were treated with SNP and CaCl2 followed by MF, and then subjected to CS, the seedlings growth were better than that of SNP followed by CS, and CaCl2 followed by CS. These results suggested that magnetic field compensates for the toxicological effects of cadmium exposure are related to NO signal.

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Abbreviations

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

NO:

Nitrice oxide

NOS:

Nitrice oxide synthase

Pn:

Net photosynthetic rate

Gs:

Stomatal conductance

Tr:

Transpiration rate

Ci:

Intercellular CO2 concentration

EDTA:

Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid

CK:

Without any treatment

MF:

Magnetic field treatment

CS:

Cadmium stress

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the West China Star of CAS (2007YB04) and the SKLLQG Sciences Foundation of China (0705).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, No. 10, Feng-Hui Road, Xi’an, 710075, China

    Yi-ping Chen

  2. College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710068, China

    Ran Li & Jun-Min He

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  1. Yi-ping Chen
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Correspondence to Yi-ping Chen.

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Chen, Yp., Li, R. & He, JM. Magnetic field can alleviate toxicological effect induced by cadmium in mungbean seedlings. Ecotoxicology 20, 760–769 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0620-6

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