Uptake and accumulation of zinc and their effects on nutrient and chlorophyll content in seedlings

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Forestry, La.C, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran

2 Department of Environment, La.C, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran

10.22124/cjes.2025.9267

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a method in which plants are used to absorb contaminants. Heavy metals significantly affect plant distributions by competing with nutrients and limiting plant growth. In this study, three-year-old seedlings of Crataegus aronia and Juniperus polycarpos were exposed to different concentrations of zinc nitrate (0, 50, 250, and 500 ppm) in a completely randomized design with three replications. Then, the amounts of zinc uptake in different organs of C. aronia and J. polycarpos seedlings were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy after acid digestion and total chlorophyll content was measured with a spectrophotometer after extraction. The results obtained from the analysis of variance showed that in both species, zinc accumulation increased in roots and stems by elevating the heavy metal concentration and that zinc accumulation was higher in root tissues than in stem tissues in all treatments (p < 0.05). In addition, zinc contamination decreased the concentration of all nutrient contents in leaves and stems of seedlings, and total chlorophyll decreased by 56% in J. polycarpos and 47% in C. aronia. Accordingly, it can be said that the seedlings of C. aronia and J. polycarpos have the ability to prevent the transfer of the metal to aerial parts and to lower its toxicity to the plant by accumulating zinc in the roots. It should be noted that J. polycarpos was a better accumulator of zinc than C. aronia by 33%.

Keywords

References

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Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 143-150

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