Effects of different surface-coated nTiO2 on full-grown carrot plants: Impacts on root splitting, essential elements, and Ti uptake

Yi Wang; Chaoyi Deng; Keni Cota-Ruiz; Wenjuan Tan; Andres Reyes; Jose R Peralta-Videa; Jose A Hernandez-Viezcas; Chunqiang Li; Jorge L Gardea-Torresdey

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123768

Effects of different surface-coated nTiO₂ on full-grown carrot plants: Impacts on root splitting, essential elements, and Ti uptake

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Jan 15:402:123768. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123768. Epub 2020 Aug 23.

Authors

Yi Wang¹, Chaoyi Deng², Keni Cota-Ruiz¹, Wenjuan Tan², Andres Reyes³, Jose R Peralta-Videa⁴, Jose A Hernandez-Viezcas¹, Chunqiang Li³, Jorge L Gardea-Torresdey⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; University of California Centre for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA.
² Environmental Science and Engineering PhD Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; University of California Centre for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA.
³ Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79968, USA.
⁴ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; Environmental Science and Engineering PhD Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; University of California Centre for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA.
⁵ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; Environmental Science and Engineering PhD Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA; University of California Centre for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX-79968, USA. Electronic address: jgardea@utep.edu.

PMID: 33254779
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123768

Abstract

The production and environmental release of surface-modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO₂) have increased. Hence, crops may be directly exposed to the nTiO₂ in soil. In this study, we grew carrots in soils amended with pristine, hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface-coated nTiO₂ at 100, 200, and 400 mg kg^-1 until full-plant maturity. The content of Ti in plant secondary roots treated with different nTiO₂ at 400 mg kg^-1 was in the order of hydrophobic > hydrophilic > pristine treatments, with values of 140.1, 100.5, and 64.3 mg kg^-1, respectively. The fresh biomass of the taproot was significantly decreased by all nTiO₂ forms at 400 mg kg^-1 by up to 56 %, compared to control. Pristine nTiO₂ at 100 mg kg^-1 enhanced the fresh weight of leaves by 51 % with respect to control. Remarkably, an abnormal increase of taproot splitting was found in plants treated with all nTiO₂ forms. In carrots treated with the surface-coated nTiO₂, the accumulation of Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn increased in leaves; but Mg, Mn, and Zn decreased in taproots. These results suggest that future regulation of nTiO₂ release into soils should consider its surface coating properties since the phytotoxicity effects depend on nTiO₂ outer structure.

Keywords: Nutrient elements; Phytotoxicity; Surface coating; TiO(2) nanoparticles; Uptake.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Daucus carota*
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Nanoparticles*
Soil
Titanium / analysis
Titanium / toxicity

Substances

Soil
Titanium