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Physiological effects of zero-valent iron nanoparticles in rhizosphere on edible crop, Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), grown in soil

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Abstract

We investigated the effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) that has been widely used for groundwater remediation on a terrestrial crop, Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), and comprehensively addressed its development and growth in soil culture. Root lengths, chlorophyll, carbohydrate and lignin contents were compared, and no physiological phytotoxicity was observed in the plants. In the roots, using an omics-based analytical, we found evidence of OH radical-induced cell wall loosening from exposure to nZVI, resulting in increased root lengths that were approximately 1.5 times greater than those of the control. Moreover, germination index (GI) was employed to physiologically evaluate the impact of nZVI on germination and root length. In regard to chlorophyll concentration, nZVI-treated alfalfa exhibited a higher value in 20-day-old seedlings, whereas the carbohydrate and lignin contents were slightly decreased in nZVI-treated alfalfa. Additionally, evidence for translocation of nZVI into plant tissues was also found. Vibrating sample magnetometry on shoots revealed the translocation of nZVI from the root to shoot. In this study, using an edible crop as a representative model, the potential impact of reactive engineered nanomaterials that can be exposed to the ecosystem on plant is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Basic Research Project of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Geo-materials R&D Department, Pohang Branch, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Pohang, 37559, Republic of Korea

    Jae-Hwan Kim, Daniel Kim & Sung Man Seo

  2. Department of Nanomaterials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Daeyoung Kim

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  1. Jae-Hwan Kim
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  2. Daniel Kim
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Correspondence to Jae-Hwan Kim.

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Kim, JH., Kim, D., Seo, S.M. et al. Physiological effects of zero-valent iron nanoparticles in rhizosphere on edible crop, Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), grown in soil. Ecotoxicology 28, 869–877 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-019-02083-5

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