Physio-biochemical and ultrastructural impact of (Fe3O4) nanoparticles on tobacco

BackgroundBecause of their broad applications in our life, nanoparticles are expected to be present in the environment raising many concerns about their possible adverse effects on the ecosystem of plants. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different sizes and concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles [(Fe3O4) NPs] on morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ultrastructural parameters in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var.2 Turkish).ResultsLengths of shoots and roots of 5nm-treated plants were significantly decreased in all nanoparticle-treated plants compared to control plants or plants treated with any concentration of 10 or 20nm nanoparticles. The photosynthetic rate and leaf area were drastically reduced in 5nm (Fe3O4) NP-treated plants of all concentrations compared to control plants and plants treated with 10 or 20nm (Fe3O4) NPs. Accumulation of sugars in leaves showed no significant differences between the control plants and plants treated with iron oxide of all sizes and concentrations. In contrast, protein accumulation in plants treated with 5nm iron oxide dramatically increased compared to control plants. Moreover, light and transmission electron micrographs of roots and leaves revealed that roots and chloroplasts of 5nm (Fe3O4) NPs-treated plants of all concentrations were drastically affected.ConclusionsThe size and concentration of nanoparticles are key factors affecting plant growth and development. The results of this study demonstrated that the toxicity of (Fe3O4) NPs was clearly influenced by size and concentration. Further investigations are needed to elucidate more about NP toxicity in plants, especially at the molecular level.