Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management

Seed priming with a composite of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) is an innovative technique to mitigate cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) uptake in plants from rooting media. The current study explored the impact of seed priming with varying levels of Fe3O4 NPs, SiO2 N...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Kashif Irshad, Jamilur R. Ansari, Ali Noman, Wasim Javed, Jong Cheol Lee, Muhammad Aqeel, Muhammad Waseem, Sang Soo Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324012715
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author Muhammad Kashif Irshad
Jamilur R. Ansari
Ali Noman
Wasim Javed
Jong Cheol Lee
Muhammad Aqeel
Muhammad Waseem
Sang Soo Lee
author_facet Muhammad Kashif Irshad
Jamilur R. Ansari
Ali Noman
Wasim Javed
Jong Cheol Lee
Muhammad Aqeel
Muhammad Waseem
Sang Soo Lee
author_sort Muhammad Kashif Irshad
collection DOAJ
description Seed priming with a composite of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) is an innovative technique to mitigate cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) uptake in plants from rooting media. The current study explored the impact of seed priming with varying levels of Fe3O4 NPs, SiO2 NPs, and Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites on Cd and Cr absorption and phytotoxicity, metal-induced oxidative stress mitigation, growth and biomass yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). The results showed that seed priming with the optimum level of 100 mg L−1 of Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased root dry weight (144 %), shoot dry weight (243 %) and leaf area (34.4 %) compared to the control, primarily by safeguarding plant's photosynthetic machinery, oxidative stress and phytotoxicity of metals. Plants treated with this highest level of Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites exhibited a substantial increase in photosynthetic and gas exchange indices of spinach plants and enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) antioxidant enzymes by 45 %, 48 %, and 60 %, respectively. Correspondingly, the relative gene expression levels of SOD, CAT, and APX also rose by 109 %, 181 %, and 137 %, respectively, compared to non-primed plants. This nanocomposite application also boosted the levels of phenolics (28 %), ascorbic acid (68 %), total sugars (129 %), flavonoids (39 %), and anthocyanin (29 %) in spinach leaves, while significantly reducing Cd (34.7 %, 53.4 %) and Cr (20.2 %, 28.8 %) contents in plant roots and shoots, respectively. These findings suggest that seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites effectively mitigated the toxic effects of Cd and Cr, enhancing the growth and biomass yield of spinach in Cd and Cr co-contaminated environments, offering a promising sustainable approach for producing metal-free crops.
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spelling doaj-art-dfa9c2984cf2407ea2996d1d0e64bc0c2025-08-20T02:18:57ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132024-11-0128611719510.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117195Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental managementMuhammad Kashif Irshad0Jamilur R. Ansari1Ali Noman2Wasim Javed3Jong Cheol Lee4Muhammad Aqeel5Muhammad Waseem6Sang Soo Lee7Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do 26493, Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, PakistanDepartment of Packaging & Logistics, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do 26493, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, PakistanWater Management Research Centre, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, PakistanDepartment of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do 26493, Republic of KoreaState Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR ChinaDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, PakistanDepartment of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do 26493, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.Seed priming with a composite of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) is an innovative technique to mitigate cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) uptake in plants from rooting media. The current study explored the impact of seed priming with varying levels of Fe3O4 NPs, SiO2 NPs, and Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites on Cd and Cr absorption and phytotoxicity, metal-induced oxidative stress mitigation, growth and biomass yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). The results showed that seed priming with the optimum level of 100 mg L−1 of Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased root dry weight (144 %), shoot dry weight (243 %) and leaf area (34.4 %) compared to the control, primarily by safeguarding plant's photosynthetic machinery, oxidative stress and phytotoxicity of metals. Plants treated with this highest level of Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites exhibited a substantial increase in photosynthetic and gas exchange indices of spinach plants and enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) antioxidant enzymes by 45 %, 48 %, and 60 %, respectively. Correspondingly, the relative gene expression levels of SOD, CAT, and APX also rose by 109 %, 181 %, and 137 %, respectively, compared to non-primed plants. This nanocomposite application also boosted the levels of phenolics (28 %), ascorbic acid (68 %), total sugars (129 %), flavonoids (39 %), and anthocyanin (29 %) in spinach leaves, while significantly reducing Cd (34.7 %, 53.4 %) and Cr (20.2 %, 28.8 %) contents in plant roots and shoots, respectively. These findings suggest that seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites effectively mitigated the toxic effects of Cd and Cr, enhancing the growth and biomass yield of spinach in Cd and Cr co-contaminated environments, offering a promising sustainable approach for producing metal-free crops.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324012715Antioxidant enzymesFood safetyGene expressionOxidative stress mitigationPhytotoxicity
spellingShingle Muhammad Kashif Irshad
Jamilur R. Ansari
Ali Noman
Wasim Javed
Jong Cheol Lee
Muhammad Aqeel
Muhammad Waseem
Sang Soo Lee
Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Antioxidant enzymes
Food safety
Gene expression
Oxidative stress mitigation
Phytotoxicity
title Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
title_full Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
title_fullStr Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
title_full_unstemmed Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
title_short Seed priming with Fe3O4-SiO2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate Cd and Cr stress in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): A way forward for sustainable environmental management
title_sort seed priming with fe3o4 sio2 nanocomposites simultaneously mitigate cd and cr stress in spinach spinacia oleracea l a way forward for sustainable environmental management
topic Antioxidant enzymes
Food safety
Gene expression
Oxidative stress mitigation
Phytotoxicity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324012715
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