Cerium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles alter the nutritional value of soil cultivated soybean plants

• At high concentration nCeO2 increased Cu and P but reduced Ca in pods.
• At all concentrations nCeO2 reduced Na in pods.
• At all concentrations nZnO increased Zn in pods.
• At medium concentration nZnO increased Mn and Cu in pods.

The aim of this study was to determine nutrient elements in soybean (Glycine max) plants cultivated in farm soil amended with nCeO2 at 0–1000 mg kg−1 and nZnO at 0–500 mg kg−1. Digested samples were analyzed by ICP-OES/MS. Compared to control, pods from nCeO2 at 1000 mg kg−1 had significantly less Ca but more P and Cu, while pods from 100 mg kg−1nZnO had more Zn, Mn, and Cu. Plants treated with nZnO showed significant correlations among Zn, P, and S in pods with Zn in roots. Correlations among pod Zn/root Zn was r = 0.808 (p ≤ 0.01) and pod P/root P was r = 0.541 (p ≤ 0.05). The correlation among pod S/root S was r = −0.65 (p ≤ 0.01). While nCeO2 treatments exhibited significant correlations between pod Ca/root Ca (r = 0.645, p ≤ 0.05). The data suggest that nCeO2 and nZnO alter the nutritional value of soybean, which could affect the health of plants, humans, and animals.

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