Abstract
BACKGROUND: Environmental pollution by cadmium (Cd) is currently a common problem in many countries, especially in highly industrialised areas. Cd present in the soil can be absorbed by plants through the root system. AIM: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of cadmium on the metabolic activity of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) and the accumulation and distribution of Cd in the organs of the plants. METHODS: solutions). The activity of selected antioxidant enzymes - glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation and the content of photosynthetic pigments were determined in 6-week-old cucumber plants. In addition, intake of Cd has been determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS). RESULTS: The results show that the applied cadmium concentrations affected the activity of antioxidant enzymes. An increase in CAT activity and a decrease in SOD activity were observed in all cucumber organs analysed. GSH-Px activity increased in the roots and stems. Surprisingly, GSH-Px activity decreased in the leaves. The level of lipid peroxidation was usually unchanged (the only one statistically significant change was a decrease in the concentration of malondialdehyde in the leaves which was observed after exposure to the highest Cd concentration). The applied Cd concentrations had no effect on the content of photosynthetic pigments. The highest cadmium content was found in the roots of cucumber plants. Cd tends to accumulate in the roots and a small amount was translocated to the stems and leaves, which was confirmed with the translocation factor (TF). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the range of cadmium concentrations used, corresponding to the level of environmental pollution recorded in Europe, effectively activates the antioxidant enzyme system, without intensifying lipid peroxidation or reducing the content of photosynthetic pigments.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Cadmium increased CAT activity in cucumber organs.
- Taxon
- cucumber
Cucumis sativuse0 - Treatment
- cadmiumt1
- Outcome
- CAT activitye0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“An increase in CAT activity and a decrease in SOD activity were observed in all cucumber organs analysed.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
Cadmium decreased SOD activity in cucumber organs.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativuse0
- Treatment
- cadmiumt1
- Outcome
- SOD activitye0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“An increase in CAT activity and a decrease in SOD activity were observed in all cucumber organs analysed.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
GSH-Px activity increased in cucumber roots and stems.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Organ / stage
- roots and stemse0
- Treatment
- cadmiumt1
- Outcome
- GSH-Px activitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“GSH-Px activity increased in the roots and stems.”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
GSH-Px activity decreased in cucumber leaves.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Organ / stage
- leavese0
- Treatment
- cadmiumt1
- Outcome
- GSH-Px activitye0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“GSH-Px activity decreased in the leaves.”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
Lipid peroxidation was usually unchanged under cadmium exposure.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Treatment
- cadmiumt1
- Outcome
- lipid peroxidatione0
- Direction
- unchangede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The level of lipid peroxidation was usually unchanged”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
At the highest cadmium concentration, leaf malondialdehyde decreased significantly.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Organ / stage
- leavese0
- Treatment
- highest Cd concentratione0
- Outcome
- concentration of malondialdehydee0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a decrease in the concentration of malondialdehyde in the leaves which was observed after exposure to the highest Cd concentration”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
Cadmium had no effect on cucumber photosynthetic pigment content.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Treatment
- Cd concentrationse0
- Outcome
- content of photosynthetic pigmentse0
- Direction
- no effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The applied Cd concentrations had no effect on the content of photosynthetic pigments.”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
t1“cadmium”
Claim · model-written summary
Cucumber roots contained the most cadmium.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativuse0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Outcome
- cadmium contente0
- Direction
- higheste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The highest cadmium content was found in the roots of cucumber plants.”
Claim · model-written summary
Little cadmium moved from cucumber roots to stems and leaves.
- Taxon
- cucumberCucumis sativust0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Outcome
- a small amount was translocated to the stems and leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cd tends to accumulate in the roots and a small amount was translocated to the stems and leaves”
t0“cucumber Cucumis sativus L.”
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See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.