Abstract
The effects of petroleum products (kerosene, diesel, engine oil and petrol) treatment of soil at various sublethal concentrations (0.0%, 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%) on oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase activity, catalase activity and xanthine oxidase) were studied in cowpea and maize seedlings. The results indicated that the petroleum products caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a significant decrease in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes: Superoxide dismutase, catalase and xanthine oxidase activities. Kerosene had a greater effect on these indicators of oxidative stress than did the other petroleum products. The effects on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes were more pronounced in cowpeas seedlings than in maize seedlings.
Highlights
In photosynthetic plants, two forms of activated oxygen are formed from superoxide anion
In maize seedlings grown in diesel treated soil, there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in lipid peroxidation in the leaves from 0.25% to 2% concentration when compared with control
In all the concentrations tested, petrol treated soil resulted in significant (p < 0.05) increase of lipid peroxidation from 0.25% to 2% in the leaves of cowpea seedling when compared with control
Summary
Two forms of activated oxygen are formed from superoxide anion. These are hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals. Activated oxygen is often formed as a component of metabolism to enable “complex” chemical reactions such as the oxidation of xenobiotics or the polymerisation of lignin [1]. It is formed by the dysfunctioning of enzymes or electron transport systems as a result of perturbations in the meta-. Activated oxygen species are produced in various sites in plants. The activated oxygen species generated either during normal metabolic activity or during metabolism of xenobiotics, when produced more than the body can accommodate leads to lipid peroxidation
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