Carotenoids and Antioxidant Enzymes as Biomarkers of the Impact of Heavy Metals in food Chain

Vangelis Andrianos,Ioannis Zabetakis,Vasiliki Stoikou,Dimitra Lamprou,Sotiris Stasinos,Konstantina Tsikrika,Charalampos Proestos

doi:10.12944/crnfsj.4.special-issue1.02

Abstract

Antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) and carotenoids lutein and β-carotene are often used as biomarkers of metal contamination of water and agricultural soils. In this study, the effects of heavy metals present in irrigation water on the aforementioned carotenoids of potatoes Solanum tuberosum L. and carrots Daucus carota L., cultivated in a greenhouse and irrigated with a water solution including different levels of Cr(VI) and Ni(II) were investigated. These results were compared to the levels of the same metabolites that had been assessed in market-available potato and carrot samples. The findings indicated that the levels of the examined metabolites on the treated with Cr and Ni samples, resemble the levels of the same parameters in the market samples, originating from polluted areas. Therefore, the antioxidant enzymes, catalase and peroxidase, and the carotenoids, lutein and β-carotene, could be handled as indicators of heavy metal pollution.

Highlights

Soil and water quality have a direct impact on the quality of our environment and on our nutrition and health.[1]
Subcellular level before appearing at higher levels of biological organisms.[8]. Biomarkers, such as enzyme activity and carotenoid levels could be used as indicators of the oxidative stress caused by heavy metal pollution
The results of this study on the carotenoid substance and the activity of antioxidant enzymes on Cr and Ni treated potatoes and carrots show a clear correlation of Cr and Ni in irrigation water and these secondary metabolites

Summary

Introduction

Soil and water quality have a direct impact on the quality of our environment and on our nutrition and health.[1]. Nutr Food Sci Jour., Vol 4(Special Issue 1), 15-24 (2016) Biomarkers, such as enzyme activity and carotenoid levels could be used as indicators of the oxidative stress caused by heavy metal pollution. Previous studies of our team investigated the cross-contamination of the food chain caused by the environmental pollution in Asopos land (one of the biggest industrial areas of central Greece) by heavy metals; the levels of Ni and Cr were significantly higher in crops from Asopos area than in plants grown in areas besides water-bed pollution (control samples).[3,5] Another study of our team on the effects of these trace elements on the carotenoids and the antioxidant activity (DPPH) of carrots, potatoes and onions (Allium cepa L.) showed that the levels of â-carotene in carrots and the levels of lutein in potatoes from the Asopos area were significantly lower as opposed to the control samples.[9] These. Our scope was threefold: 1) to examine the effects of Cr(VI) and Ni(II) in irrigation water on the carotenoid content (lutein and â-carotene) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) in potatoes and carrots, cultivated in a greenhouse whilst being irrigated with Cr(VI) and Ni(II) contaminated water, 2) to compare the results of 10 to findings in the respective crops, bought from the local market and developed in areas with or without water-bed pollution and 3) to investigate the possibility of using the aforementioned parameters as biomarkers of heavy metal pollution

Materials And Methods

Discussion

Findings

23 References