Influence of ionic cerium and cerium oxide nanoparticles on Zea mays seedlings grown with and without cadmium

Muhammad Ashar Ayub; Muhammad Zia Ur Rehman; Hamaad Raza Ahmad; John-Paul Fox; Preston Clubb; Alan L Wright; Muhammad Anwar-Ul-Haq; Muhammad Nadeem; Cyren M Rico; Lorenzo Rossi

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121137

Influence of ionic cerium and cerium oxide nanoparticles on Zea mays seedlings grown with and without cadmium

Environ Pollut. 2023 Apr 1:322:121137. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121137. Epub 2023 Jan 28.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; Indian River Research and Education Center, Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34945, USA; Institute of Agro-Industry and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Punjab, Pakistan.
² Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
³ Indian River Research and Education Center, Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34945, USA.
⁴ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Missouri State University, 901 S National Ave, Springfield, MO, 65897, USA.
⁵ Indian River Research and Education Center, Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34945, USA.
⁶ Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; Indian River Research and Education Center, Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34945, USA; Institute of Agro-Industry and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Punjab, Pakistan.
⁷ Indian River Research and Education Center, Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34945, USA. Electronic address: l.rossi@ufl.edu.

PMID: 36720342
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121137

Abstract

Cerium (Ce⁴⁺) and cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂-NPs) have diversified reported effects on plants. Once dispersed in the environment their fate is not well understood, especially in co-existence with other pollutants like cadmium (Cd). The effect of co-application of Ce and Cd are reported in various studies, but the role of Ce source (ionic or bulk) and nanoparticle size is still unknown in cereal plants like maize (Zea mays). To better understand the synergistic effects of Ce and Cd, 500 mg kg^-1 Ce coming from ionic (Ce⁴⁺ as CeSO₄) and CeO₂ nano sources (10 nm, 50 nm, and 100 nm) alone and in combination with 0.5 mg Cd kg^-1 sand were applied to maize seedlings. Growth, physiology, root structure, anatomy, and ionic homeostasis in maize were measured. The results revealed that Ce⁴⁺ resulted in overall decrease in seedling growth, biomass and resulted in higher heavy metal (in control sets) and Cd (in Cd spiked sets) uptake in maize seedlings' root and shoot. The effects of CeO₂-NPs were found to be dependent on particle size; in fact, under Cd-0 (non-Cd spiked sets) CeO₂-100 nm showed beneficial effects compared to the control. While under co-application with Cd, CeO₂-50 nm showed net beneficial effects on maize seedling growth parameters. The Ce alone, and in combination with Cd, altered the root suberin barrier formation. Both ionic and nano Ce sources alone and in co-existence with Cd behaved differently for tissue elemental concentrations (Ce, Cd, micronutrients like B, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Fe and elements Co, Si) suggesting a strong influence of Cd-Ce coexistence on the element's uptake and translocation in maize.

Keywords: Heavy metals; Maize; Micronutrients; Nanotechnology; Root barrier.

MeSH terms

Cadmium / toxicity
Cerium* / chemistry
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Nanoparticles* / toxicity
Plant Roots
Seedlings
Zea mays

Substances

Cadmium
ceric oxide
Cerium