Rupinder Kaur, Renu Bhardwaj and Ashwani K Thukral
Keywords: Heavy metal interactions, synergism, antagonism, Mn, Co, Cu, Cr and Zn.
Abstract: Interactive effects of Ni in binary combinations with other heavy metals (Mn, Co, Cu, Cr and Zn) were investigated on the growth of B. juncea L. seedlings. There was a decline in germination percentage, root and shoot lengths and dry weight of the seedlings with increase in concentrations of the metals in the growth medium. Multiple regression interaction models revealed that in all the binary combinations of Ni with other heavy metals, both the metals were detrimental to the seedling growth. However, the metals in combinations mutually decreased the toxicity of each other. Zn acted antagonistic to Ni and increased the germination percentage of B. juncea seeds. Zn and Mn were accumulated to the extent of 0.531 and 0.445 mg g-1 dw respectively at 100mg l-1 concentration of these metals, whereas the lowest uptake was observed for Ni (0.135 mg g-1 dw) at a concentration of 100 mg l-1. In binary combinations, (Ni+Cr), (Ni+Mn), (Ni+Co), (Ni+Cu) and (Ni+Zn), both the metals mutually inhibited the uptake of each other.
[View Complete Article]