Main page Contacts Preview papers   Contents   Themes Subscription Information to authors Editorial board Standard version

Assesment of Phyto- and Cytotoxic Effects of Heavy Metals and Aluminum Compounds Using Onion Apical Root Meristem

Dovgalyuk A. I., Kalinyak T. B., Blume Ya. B.

The effects of different concentrations (10^–6–10^–3 M) of salts of six metals (cadmium, lead, nickel, aluminum, copper, and zinc) on the root growth of onion (Allium cepa L.) seedling and cell division, chromosome and nucleus morphology in root tip cells were studied. The obtained results showed that tested compounds inhibit the root growth, reduce the mitotic activity of meristem cells and cause the chromosome and nucleus irregularities. On the basis of these data two rows of metal salt toxicity were proposed — for effective concentrations (ЕС 50) of toxic action: CuSO₄> CdCl₂ > NiSO₄ > Pb(CH₃COO)₂ > Al(NO₃)₃ > ZnSO₄ and for sublethal and lethal effects of investigated substances CuSO₄ > Pb(CH₃COO)₂ > CdCl₂ > ZnSO₄ > NiSO₄ > Al(NO₃)₃.

Tsitologiya i Genetika 2001, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 3-9

Dovgalyuk A. I., Kalinyak T. B., Blume Ya. B. Assesment of Phyto- and Cytotoxic Effects of Heavy Metals and Aluminum Compounds Using Onion Apical Root Meristem, Tsitol Genet., 2001, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 3-9.