HEAVY METAL IONS – ECOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGYCAL BENEFITS AND HARMFUL EFFECTS ON PLANT ORGANISM

Abstract

Heavy metals include a number of the most toxic xenobiotics, which cause general and specific damage to organisms. This applies to heavy metal ions. The reaction of plants to the type and concentration of HMI is extremely diverse. Absorbing HMIs leads to reduced productivity or death. During the study of the effect of ten types of HMI, which were part of cations and anions in concentrations of 10-1 – 10-5 M. Plants growing in conditions exposed to heavy metal ions accumulate toxic cations. Hyperaccumulators are capable of accumulating HMI in large quantities. Most plants absorb HMI through two types of absorption systems. HMI affect the electrochemical status of membranes and electrical potential. Also, depending on their concentration, they cause a series of interrelated stress reactions in plants. The severity of stress damage is reflected in integral indicators – growth, morphogenesis, productivity. Sensitivity to stressors is determined in each specific case, since the characteristics depend on the plant genotype. Studies of the effect of heavy metal ions on plant growth and development have shown that all pathological changes begin at the cellular level. Cell culture is a convenient and promising system for studying the stress effect of the stressor itself and the mechanisms of resistance. The protective reactions of the whole organism, aimed at reducing the toxic effect, are separated from the cellular detoxification reactions.