The contamination of soil with metal ions and a content of biologically active compounds in the selected consumer plants

Abstract

Soil has been habitually the most common sink for wastes containing heavy metals [1]. Higher metal ions concentration in plants caused several physiological and biochemical disorders including reduced growth and yield, nutrient uptake, changes in chloroplast ultrastructure and initiation of oxidative stress [2, 3]. Antioxidant enzymes are one mechanism plants have evolved as a response to metal-induced toxicity [4]. For example, guaiacol peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxidase dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) significantly contribute to regulate the cellular redox homeostasis to a safe level [5]. The present study investigates the biochemical effects of metal ions-poisoning on plants from a Lamiaceae and Brassicaceae families.