Cellular And Molecular Phytotoxicity Of Heavy Metals

Plant growth and development is closely dependent on the plant environment, including the wide-spread presence of organic and inorganic xenobiotics and pollutants. Currently, heavy metals are the most common inorganic environmental pollutants and they have pronounced effects and consequences not only for plants, but also for the ecosystem in which the plants form an integral component. It has been suggested that these contaminants accumulate in agricultural crops, thus entering the food chain and posing a significant health risk. Plants growing in polluted sites exhibit altered metabolism, reduced growth, and decreased biomass production. These pollutants adhere to plant roots and exert physical or chemical toxicity and subsequently cell death in plants. Yet, plants have developed various defence mechanisms to counteract the toxicity induced by heavy metals. Only detailed study of the processes and mechanisms would allow researchers and students to understand the interactions, responses, and adaptations of plants to these pollutants; however, there are several unresolved issues and challenges regarding the interaction and biological effects of heavy metals. Therefore, this volume provides relevant, state-of-the-art findings on environmental phytotoxicity and the mechanisms of such interactions at the cellular and molecular levels. This volume consists of chapters on relevant topics contributed by different experts or group of experts so as to make available a comprehensive treatise designed to provide an in-depth analysis of heavy metals phytotoxicity. This book may serve as a reference to scientists, researchers and students in the fields of toxicology, environmental toxicology, phytotoxicology, plant biology, plant physiology, plant biochemistry and plant molecular biology, and especially those interested in heavy metals toxicology.

Heavy metal phytotoxicity has been known for more than a century. However, research in the past years has confirmed the immense damage by metal pollution to plants, the soil and ultimately to humans. By reviewing both field and laboratory work, this book deals with the various functional and ecological aspects of heavy metal stress on plants and outlines the scope for future research and the possibilities for remediation.

This title focuses on the many aspects of the interaction between plants and heavy metals. Not only it describes the effects of heavy metal toxicity on the plant cell and its organs but it also examines the mechanisms that plants adopt to scavenge heavy metals at cellular, physiological, and metabolic level. Plants and Heavy Metals also analyses Hyperaccumulator plants and shows their potential role in phytoremediation technologies in light of the recent research results.

This book focuses on the menace of metal pollution and its impact on plants, particularly food grains, pulse and vegetable plants covering morphological, anatomical, physiological and biochemical aspects. It includes comparative studies among metal hyper-accumulators (metallophytes) and non-accumulators including exogenous hormonal alleviation in them due to metal stress. Low dose stimulation effects are also reviewed. The most significant feature of the book is its extensive coverage of genomics, metabolomics, ionomics, proteomics and transcriptomics in metal non-hyper-accumulators and hyper-accumulators. Being an edited volume, the book incorporates a variety of research perspectives, enhancing the existing knowledge about metal pollution and points to newer avenues to be researched.

The term “heavy metals” is used as a group name of toxic metals and metalloids (semimetals) causing contaminations and ecotoxicity. In strict chemical sense the density of heavy metals is higher than 5 g/cm3. From biological point of view as microelements they can be divided into two major groups. a. For their physiological function organisms and cells require essential microelements such as iron, chromium (III), cobalt, copper, manganese, molidenium, zinc. b. The other group of heavy metals is toxic to the health or environment. Of highest concern are the emissions of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Tl. The toxicity of heavy metals is well known at organizational level, while less attention has been paid to their cellular effects. This book describes the toxicity of heavy metals on microorganisms, yeast, plant and animal cells. Other chapters of the book deal with their genotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. The toxicity of several metals touch upon the aspects of environmental hazard, ecosystems and human health. Among the cellular responses of heavy metals irregularities in cellular mechanisms such as gene expression, protein folding, stress signaling pathways are among the most important ones. The final chapters deal with biosensors and removal of heavy metals. As everybody is eating, drinking and exposed to heavy metals on a daily basis, the spirit of the book will attract a wide audience.

Comprehensive resource detailing the molecular mechanisms underlying heavy metal toxicity and tolerance in plants Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants provides a comprehensive overview of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of heavy metal tolerance and functional omics that allow for a deeper understanding of using heavy metal tolerance for deliberate manipulation of plants. Through the authors’ unique approach, the text enables researchers to develop strategies to enhance metal toxicity and deficiency tolerance as well as crop productivity under stressful conditions, in order to better utilize natural resources to ensure future food security. The text presents the basic knowledge of plant heavy metal/metalloid tolerance using modern approaches, including omics, nanotechnology, and genetic manipulation, and covers molecular breeding, genetic engineering, and approaches for high yield and quality under metal toxicity or deficiency stress conditions. With a collection of 26 chapters contributed by the leading experts in the fields surrounding heavy metal and metalloids toxicity and tolerance in crop plants, Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants includes further information on: Advanced techniques in omics research in relation to heavy metals/metalloids toxicity and tolerance Heavy metals/metalloids in food crops and their implications for human health Molecular mechanisms of heavy metals/metalloids toxicity and tolerance in plants Molecular breeding approaches for reducing heavy metals load in the edible plant parts Hormonal regulation of heavy metals toxicity and tolerance Applications of nanotechnology for improving heavy metals stress tolerance Genetic engineering for heavy metals/metalloids stress tolerance in plants With comprehensive coverage of the subject, Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants is an essential reference for researchers working on developing plants tolerant to metals/metalloids stress and effective strategies for reducing the risk of health hazards.

Heavy Metal Toxicity in Plants: Physiological and Molecular Perspectives highlights the various metal induced impacts on plants and adaptation strategies employed to avoid these stressful conditions. The volume comprise the chapters from the different areas ranging from latest biotechnological to omics approaches. This comprehensive volume emphasizes on the recent updates about the current research on the heavy metal stress in plant biology covering different aspects related to challenges and opportunities in the concerned field. This book is an attempt to bring together researchers who have been engaged in the area of stress signaling, crosstalk and mechanisms of heavy metal stress and share their research findings. Various chapters deal with the topics ranging from sensing and signalling in plants to translational research. The book will provide a direction towards implementation of programs and practices that will enable sustainable production of crops, resilient to environmental heavy metal pollution. Features: The book covers the heavy metal impact on plants in detail. Chapters cover an array of topics and issues related to heavy metal pollution and its management strategies by plants Recent research results and some pointers to future advancements in current topic.

Plants possess a range of potential cellular mechanisms that may be involved in the detoxification of heavy metals and thus tolerance to metal stress. Metal toxicity causes multiple direct and indirect effects in plants that concern practically all physiological functions. The main purpose of this book is to present comprehensive and concise information on recent advances in the field of metal transport and how genetic diversity affects heavy metal transport in plants. Other key futures of the book are related to metal toxicity and detoxification mechanisms, biochemical tools for HM remediation processes, molecular mechanisms for HM detoxification, how metallomics and metalloproteomics are affected by heavy metal stress in plants, and the role of ROS metabolism in the alleviation of heavy metals. Some chapters also focus on recent developments in the field of phytoremediation. Overall the book presents in-depth information and the most essential advances in the field of heavy metal toxicity in plants in recent years.