Effect of heavy metal pollutants on sunflower

Abstract

The aim of this present study was to assess the tolerance of pollutant elements (Co, Ni, Cd, Cr and Pb) on visible 
foliar symptoms, tissue concentration and some biochemical parameters in sunflower plants grown at 0.25 mM in 
soil pot culture. At equimolar concentrations (0.25 mM), Cd induced the most severe visual toxicity effects and 
exhibited maximum oxidative damage as observed by accumulation of ThioBarbituric Acid Reactive Substances 
(TBARS) and lower antioxidant capacity than the plants is exposed to Co, Cd, Cr and Pb. The study suggests that the 
degree of oxidative damage assessed by the manifestation of external visual toxicity effects, tissue concentration 
and alteration in biochemical parameters were found to be in the order Cd>Cr>Ni>Co>Pb.