Alia Naz, Sardar Khan, Muhammad Qasim, Salma Khalid, Said Muhammad, Muhammad Tariq
Department of Earth Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Department of Environmental Sciences, Shankar Campus, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan.
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan.
DOI: 10.4236/ns.2013.55073   PDF    HTML     4,151 Downloads   7,179 Views   Citations

Abstract

We aimed to find the toxicological impacts of Cd, Pb and Zn in single dozes and in combinations on Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) seedling. The Pursolane seedlings  grown in pots in a green house were treated with different soil treatments spiked (mg/kg) with Pb (300, 400 and 500), Cd (0.5, 1 and 1.5), and Zn (250, 500, 700) alone and then in specified combinations/concentrations i.e., Cd/Pb (0.5/300, 1/400, 1.5/500), Cd/Zn (0.5/250, 1/500, 1.5/700) and Pb/Zn (300/250, 400/500, 500/ 700). The results indicated that increasing concentrations of the studied HMs in seedlings tissues significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the seedlings growth. Cd was more toxic to P. oleracea seedling, compared to Pb and Zn. Roots of P. oleracea seedlings were more sensitive to the studied HMs in comparison with shoot. The uptake patterns showed antagonistic impacts on each other and were reflected in response to growth parameters. The combine toxicities of Cd, Pb and Zn (Cd/Pb, Cd/Zn and Pb/Zn) were more than the toxicity due to single dose of each element but less than their additive sums.

Keywords

Heavy Metals; Seedlings Toxicity;Portulaca Oleracea; Heavy Metals Toxicity

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Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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