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Zinc (Zn) mitigates copper (Cu) toxicity and retrieves yield and quality of lettuce irrigated with Cu and Zn-contaminated simulated wastewater

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Abstract

Owing to a competitive interaction, zinc (Zn) contained in highly Cu-contained wastewater was hypothesized to mitigate Cu toxicity-induced negative effects on the growth and quality of lettuce. Thus, growth, metal accumulation and biochemical responses of lettuce irrigated with simulated wastewater (SW, control), Cu-contaminated SW (CuSW, 20 mg Cu L−1), Zn-contaminated SW (ZnSW, 100 mg Zn L−1) and both Cu- and Zn-contaminated SW (CuZnSW, 20 mg Cu and 100 mg Zn L−1) were evaluated. Results revealed that irrigation with CuSW negatively affected growth (dry matters, root length and plant height) and quality (low mineral concentrations) of lettuce, which were associated with higher Cu uptake. Irrigation with Zn + Cu-contaminated SW retrieved Cu toxicity and improved root and shoot dry matters and root length by 13.5%, 46% and 19%, respectively compared to that with alone Cu-contaminated SW. Moreover, CuZnSW improved lettuce leaf quality compared to CuSW and increased concentrations of Mg (30%), P (15%), Ca (41%), Mn (24%) and Fe (23%). Moreover, compared to CuSW, CuZnSW improved flavonoids (54%), total polyphenolic compounds (1.8-fold), polyphenolic acids (77%) and antiradical activities (16.6%). Most importantly, Zn addition boosted up lettuce Cu tolerance index by 18% under Cu-contaminated SW treatment. Pearson’s correlation analysis among various growth and mineral parameters demonstrated that shoot Zn concentration was positively related to elemental concentrations, phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity under Cu-contaminated environment. Thus, it is concluded that Zn supplementation retrieves negative effects of Cu toxicity to lettuce grown with Cu-contaminated wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

This article is based upon work from COST Action CA19116 PLANTMETALS, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Instituto al. 1, Akademija, LT-58344, Kėdainiai, Lithuania

    Sana Ullah, Ieva Calkaite, Ahmed Hosney & Karolina Barcauskaite

  2. Soil and Environmental Sciences Division, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam, Pakistan

    Sana Ullah & Nizamuddin Depar

  3. Soil and Environmental Sciences Division, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Asif Naeem

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  1. Sana Ullah
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Contributions

Sana Ullah and Karolina Barcauskaite conceptualized and designed the experiments. Sana Ullah and Karolina Barcauskaite performed experiments. Sana Ullah, Karolina Barcauskaite and Asif Naeem wrote the initial draft of manuscript. Sana Ullah, Karolina Barcauskaite and Ieva Calkaite participated in plant, soil and data analyses. Karolina Barcauskaite managed the resource. Sana Ullah, Asif Naeem, Ahmed Hosney and Nizamuddin Depar performed data analysis. All the authors have read, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

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Highlights

  • Cu-contaminated simulated wastewater (20 ppm Cu) shows toxicity on lettuce growth .

  • Zn (100 ppm) polluted simulated wastewater demonstrated positive effect on lettuce.

  • Zn controls Cu uptake through competition mechanism in lettuce.

  • Lettuce irrigation with polluted SW increased biologically active compounds content.

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Ullah, S., Naeem, A., Calkaite, I. et al. Zinc (Zn) mitigates copper (Cu) toxicity and retrieves yield and quality of lettuce irrigated with Cu and Zn-contaminated simulated wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 54800–54812 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26250-8

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