Response of Lepidium sativum to soil contamination with zinc in molecular and nanoparticle form

ABSTRACT

Increasingly frequent use of zinc nanoparticles in everyday life increases the concentration of this element in the environment. At the same time, research into the influence of zinc nanoparticles on living organisms is still lacking. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of zinc oxide in molecular and nanoparticle form on Lepidium sativum. Studies have shown that the influence of zinc on growth and physiological features of Lepidium sativum depended on the form and the concentration of this metal in the soil. All of the analyzed zinc forms have activated the enzymatic antioxidant system of the plant, which demonstrates its sensitivity to soil contaminants.