Research articleZinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) alleviate heavy metal-induced toxicity in Leucaena leucocephala seedlings: A physiochemical analysis

- This study highlights the role of ZnONPs on enhanced seedlings growth responses.
- Addition of ZnONPs decreases MDA level indicating the reduced membrane damage.
- Accumulation of higher level of Cd and Pb ions was achieved by addition of ZnONPs.
- ZnONPs enhanced the level of antioxidative defense enzymes and related metabolites.
- RAPD exhibited a decreased level of metal genotoxicity in the presence of ZnONPs.

The present study describes the role of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in reversing oxidative stress symptoms induced by heavy metal (Cd and Pb) exposure in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Seedling growth was significantly enhanced with the augmentation of ZnONPs following Cd and Pb exposure. Heavy metal accumulations were recorded as 1253.1 mg Cd per kg DW and 1026.8 mg Pb per kg DW for the respective treatments. Results demonstrated that ZnONPs augmentation caused an increase in photosynthetic pigment and total soluble protein contents while a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA-lipid peroxidation) content in leaves. Antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) were, in turn, elevated in heavy metal-exposed leaves amended with ZnONPs. The ameliorating effect of ZnO nanoparticles on oxidative stress induced toxicity was also confirmed by the reduced MDA content and the elevated level of antioxidative enzyme activities in leaf tissues of L. leucocephala seedlings. Further, addition of ZnONPs in combination with Cd and Pb metals induced distinct genomic alterations such as presence of new DNA bands and/or absence of normal bands in the RAPD pattern of the exposed plants. This study uniquely suggests a potential role of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the remediation of heavy metal contaminated media.