EVALUATION OF CALCIUM OXIDE NANOPARTICLES TO ENHANCE HEAVY METAL STRESS TOLERANCE IN PLANTS

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination is a severe environmental problem affecting global
food production and safety. Heavy metal stress due to its toxicity, bioaccumulation, and nonbiodegradability, it become quite serious in nature. The available strategies for preventing
heavy metal contamination are not frequently used because of their inefficient and time- or
money-consuming properties. Recent developments in nanotechnology have been made
based on ameliorative strategies which have a potential alternative to physic-chemical
methods. Under heavy metal stress, the application of calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaONPs) significantly boosts plant biomass, anti-oxidative enzyme activities (such as catalase
(CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase
(GR)), and the level of non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate and glutathione). Additionally,
CaO-NPs enhance the gene expression linked to anti-oxidative enzymes. It can be suggested
that CaO-NPs could be used as a potential chemical to reduce heavy metal uptake and
toxicity in the plants grown under heavy metal contaminated soil. This review provides an
overview of plant-CaO-NPs research in increasing heavy metal stress tolerance in plants.