https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-025-01534-x
Regular Article
Uptake of gold, silver, and copper nanoparticles by Calendula officinalis L. and their effect on the plant biochemical parameters
1
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie Str., 141980, Dubna, Russia
2
Doctoral School Biological, Geonomic, Chemical and Technological Science, State University of Moldova, 60 Alexei Mateevici Str., 2009, Chisinau, Moldova
3
Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Str, 077125, Măgurele, Ilfov, Romania
4
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Technical University of Moldova, 1 Academiei Str., 2028, Chisinau, Moldova
Received:
1
June
2024
Accepted:
17
February
2025
Published online:
26
February
2025
The impacts of copper, gold, and silver nanoparticles on calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) and soil microbial activity were studied. The nanoparticles were introduced into soil in concentrations of 1–100 mg/L by root irrigation. Their size and shape were determined by transmission electron microscopy, while the uptake by the plant was determined by proton-induced gamma emission (PIGE) for silver and gold, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for copper. The accumulation of the gold nanoparticles in the aerial parts of calendula was 1–33 mg/kg. It was comparable to the parallel cases with the copper nanoparticles and significantly exceeded the corresponding data for the silver nanoparticles, which in the maximal cases were 3.59 ± 0.10 mg/kg in leaves and 3.96 ± 0.12 mg/kg in flowers. All nanoparticles provoked changes in the antioxidant activity in the aerial parts of the plant and significantly suppressed the soil microbiological activity. The silver nanoparticles had the greatest negative effect on the plant pigment content and on the soil respiration rate. The obtained results present interest for plant nanotoxicology.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
