Occurrence, physiological responses and toxicity of nickel in plants
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REVIEW
Occurrence, physiological responses and toxicity of nickel in plants T. V. M. Sreekanth • P. C. Nagajyothi • K. D. Lee T. N. V. K. V. Prasad
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Received: 9 October 2011 / Revised: 14 March 2012 / Accepted: 13 May 2012 / Published online: 29 March 2013 Ó Islamic Azad University (IAU) 2013
Abstract The focus of the review is on the specific aspects of nickel’s effects on growth, morphology, photosynthesis, mineral nutrition and enzyme activity of plants. The mobility of nickel in the environment and the consequent contamination in soil and water is of great concern. Also, the detrimental effects of excessive nickel on plant growth have been well known for many years. Toxic effects of nickel on plants include alterations in the germination process as well as in the growth of roots, stems and leaves. Total dry matter production and yield was significantly affected by nickel and also causes deleterious effects on plant physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, water relations and mineral nutrition. Nickel strongly influences metabolic reactions in plants and has the ability to generate reactive oxygen species which may cause oxidative stress. More recent evidence indicates that nickel is required in small amounts for normal plant growth and development. Hence, with the increasing level of nickel pollution in the environment, it is essential to understand the functional roles and toxic effects of nickel in plants. Keywords Higher plants Micronutrient Mechanisms of activity Nickel Oxidative stress
T. V. M. Sreekanth P. C. Nagajyothi K. D. Lee Department of Nanomaterial Chemistry, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, South Korea T. N. V. K. V. Prasad (&) Institute of Frontier Technology, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati 517 502, A.P., India e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction In recent years, as a result of uncontrolled industrial development worldwide, many chemical substances have resulted in significant air, water and soil pollution, to such an extent that environmental pollution is now a serious worldwide problem. Nickel (Ni) is just one of a variety of ubiquitous trace metals emitted into the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources (WHO 1991). Of particular concern is the increasing concentration of Ni deposited in agricultural soils by airborne Ni particles. The primary sources of Ni emissions into the ambient air are combustion of coal and oil for heat or power generation, Ni mining, steel manufacture, and other miscellaneous sources, such as cement manufacture. Chiefly found in pentlandite [(Ni,Fe)9S8] and garnierite ores (Ni,Mg)3Si2O5(OH)4, annual world production is over 1,300,000 tons where the primary mining areas are in Australia, Canada, Cuba, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Russia, South Africa and, the USA (Table 1). In polluted air, the predominant Ni compounds are nickel sulfates, oxides and sulfides, and to a lesser extent, metallic nickel (WHO 1991). Although generally established far from city centres, cem
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