Effects of cadmium pollution in soil on cadmium accumulation of cabbage and its biological effects on human intestinal cells line

Abstract

The pot experiment grown with cabbage was conducted. The initial soil and six incubated soils with different total Cd (0.25, 0.78, 1.3, 3.18, 5.34 and 7.11mg Cd/kg soil) were used in the pot experiment. The present study was to examine cadmium (Cd) accumulation in edible parts of cabbage and its correlation with Cd concentrations in cabbage garden soil, and evaluate the bioavailability and toxicity of Cd accumulating in cabbage by a human intestinal cell culture model (Caco-2). The results showed that Cd accumulation of cabbage was linearly correlated with Cd concentration in grown soils. Cd uptake of Caco-2 cells increased gradually with increasing level of Cd accumulation in cabbage. MTT assay investigation suggested that viability of the Caco-2 cells reduced with Cd accumulation in cabbage. In comparison with the control group, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the experiment groups decreased as treated with Cd contaminated cabbages, and there was significant difference in partial groups (p < 0.05). At levels of 47.69mg Cd kg-1 accumulated in cabbage, the value of T-AOC of cells decreased significantly (p < 0.05), while the content of MDA in cells was significantly higher than that in other groups. The results suggested that Cd concentrations in the edible parts of test cabbage crops were linearly responded to the Cd levels in the growth soil, and toxicological effect of Cd to Caco-2 cells aggravated gradually with Cd accumulation increased in cabbage.