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Influence of Metal Nanoparticles on the Soil Microbial Community and Germination of Lettuce Seeds

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Abstract

Short term influence of silica, palladium, gold and copper nanoparticles on a soil microbial community and the germination of lettuce seeds are investigated in this study at two different concentrations of nanoparticles. Results show a statistically insignificant influence of the nanoparticles in the soil on the number of colony forming units, peak areas of methyl ester of fatty acids in the FAME profile or on the total soil community metabolic fingerprint (P > 0.05). Also, all nanoparticles tested in the study influenced the growth of lettuce seeds as measured through shoot/root ratios of the germinated plant (P < 0.05).

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Acknowledgement

The work was funded by National Science Foundation (Grant CBET-0714685). We gratefully thank Dr. Fred Rispoli, Dowling College for his help in statistical analysis.

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  1. Department of Biology, Dowling College, Oakdale, NY, 11769, USA

    Vishal Shah & Irina Belozerova

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  1. Vishal Shah
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  2. Irina Belozerova
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Correspondence to Vishal Shah.

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Shah, V., Belozerova, I. Influence of Metal Nanoparticles on the Soil Microbial Community and Germination of Lettuce Seeds. Water Air Soil Pollut 197, 143–148 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9797-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9797-6

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