Abstract
Sustainable development of nanotechnology requires an understanding of the long term ecotoxicological impact of engineered nanomaterials on the environment. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) have great potential to accumulate and adversely affect the environment owing to their widespread applications in commercial products. This study documented the chronic phenotypic response of tomato plants to CeO2-NPs (0.1-10 mg L-1) and determined the effect of CeO2-NPs on tomato yield. The results indicated that CeO2-NPs at the concentrations applied in this study had either an inconsequential or a slightly positive effect on plant growth and tomato production. However, elevated cerium content was detected in plant tissues exposed to CeO2-NPs, suggesting that CeO2-NPs were taken up by tomato roots and translocated to shoots and edible tissues. In particular, substantially higher Ce concentrations were detected in the fruits exposed to 10 mg L-1 CeO2-NPs, compared with controls. This study sheds light on the long term impact of CeO2-NPs on plant health and its implications for our food safety and security.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1105-1112 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Metallomics |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Medicine