Fullerene nanoparticles enhance potential of phytoremediation and safe cultivation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in cadmium contaminated soil: Tobacco proved as fullerene-philic industrial crop
Ghulam Murtaza, Yaqiong Chen, Facong Qian, Guangnan Zheng, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Azam, Gang Deng, Zeeshan Ahmed, Suiyun Chen, Javed Iqbal, Mohamed S. Elshikh, Humaira Rizwana, Shabir Ahmad, Rashid Iqbal, Lala Gurbanova, Maximilian Lackner
Abstract
Nanotechnology has become known as effective strategy for soil remediation polluted by diverse toxic heavy metals. Nanoparticles' impact on phytoremediation efficacy of plants requires further study. The impact of fullerenes as fullerene nanoparticles (Cn-NPs) on accumulation and tolerance of cadmium (Cd) in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) remains mainly unexplored. A greenhouse trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of fullerene nanoparticles (at 0, 500, 1000 mg kg −1 fullerene nanoparticles in soil) on phytoremediation potential and production of tobacco. The addition of 300 and 600 mg kg −1 of Cd to soil negatively impacted shoots and roots dry weights, leaf yield and tolerance index (TI), attributable to diminished mineral and water content as well as onset of oxidative stress. The fullerene nanoparticle application markedly enhanced fullerene concentration in roots and shoots, alongside levels of Chl a, and Chl b, growth metrics, RWC and leaf yield of tobacco. Furthermore, it improved levels of calcium, potassium and phosphorus in both leaves and shoots across all Cd levels. The application of fullerene nanoparticles as soil amendment reduced malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels in leaves by increasing peroxidase and catalase levels and upregulating P5CS gene expression, which facilitates proline accumulation. The application of fullerene nanoparticles notably diminished Cd translocation from roots- to- shoots and from shoots- to- leaves, resulting in decreased Cd amount in leaves, roots, and shoots, while simultaneously increasing total Cd uptake per plant. These findings provide new evidence that fullerene nanoparticles may increase the phytoremediation capacity of tobacco plants by sustaining biomass and mitigating Cd toxicity via "growth dilution impact," ultimately leading to enhanced leaf yield and safe cultivation.