Abstract
As the demands for nanotechnology and nanoparticle (NP) applications in agriculture increase, the ecological risk has drawn more attention because of the unpredictable results of interactions between NPs and transgenic crops. In this study, we investigated the effects of various concentrations of Fe2O3 NPs on Bt-transgenic cotton in comparison with conventional cotton for 10 days. Each treatment was conducted in triplicate, and each experiment was repeated three times. Results demonstrated that Fe2O3 NPs inhibited the plant height and root length of Bt-transgenic cotton and promoted root hairs and biomass of non-transgenic cotton. Nutrients such as Na and K in Bt-transgenic cotton roots increased, while Zn contents decreased with Fe2O3 NPs. Most hormones in the roots of Bt-transgenic cotton increased at low Fe2O3 NP exposure (100 mg⋅L-1) but decreased at high concentrations of Fe2O3 NPs (1000 mg⋅L-1). Fe2O3 NPs increased the Bt-toxin in leaves and roots of Bt-transgenic cotton. Fe2O3 NPs were absorbed into roots, then transported to the shoots of both Bt-transgenic and non-transgenic cottons. The bioaccumulation of Fe2O3 NPs in plants might be a potential risk for agricultural crops and affect the environment and human health.
Highlights
Iron oxide (Fe2O3), the most common oxide of iron, has important magnetic properties
Fe2O3 NPs were prepared at concentration of 2 mg·L−1 for measurement of hydrodynamic size (154.3 nm) and zeta potential (−9.27 mV; Nicomp 380 dynamic light scattering (DLS) Zeta potential/Particle system, Santa Barbara, CA, USA)
Other elemental contents, including Mn, Zn, P, and Cu (Figures 3E,F,H,J), showed no change in either type of plant in the presence of Fe2O3 NPs. These results suggest that Fe2O3 NPs could more seriously interrupt nutrient uptake in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-transgenic cotton as compared with conventional cotton
Summary
Iron oxide (Fe2O3), the most common oxide of iron, has important magnetic properties. Alumina (Al2O3) NPs can cause phytotoxicity by inhibiting root elongation in corn, cucumber, soybean, cabbage, and carrot (Yang and Watts, 2005) This phytotoxicity is evident for other plant species, including radish, rape canola, ryegrass, lettuce, corn, and cucumber, when treated with multiwall carbon nanotubes, aluminum (Al), alumina (Al2O3), zinc (Zn), and zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs (Lin and Xing, 2007). As demand for nanotechnology and NP applications in agriculture increases, the ecological risks are drawing attention because of the unpredictable results in interactions between NPs and transgenic crops. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the effects of Fe2O3 NPs on Bt-transgenic cotton. TEM images showed that Fe2O3 NPs were found in the roots of both conventional and transgenic cotton
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