Single and repeated applications of cerium oxide nanoparticles differently affect the growth and biomass accumulation of silene flos-cuculi l. (caryophyllaceae)

Abstract

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nCeO2) have a wide variety of applications in industry. Mod-els demonstrated that nCeO2 can reach environmental compartments. Studies regarding the rela-tionships between plants and nCeO2 considered only crop species, whereas a relevant knowledge gap exists regarding wild plant species. Specimens of Silene flos-cuculi (Caryophyllaceae) were grown in greenhouse conditions in a substrate amended with a single dose (D1) and two and three doses (D2 and D3) of 20 mg kg−1 and 200 mg kg−1 nCeO2 suspensions, respectively. sp-ICP-MS and ICP-MS data demonstrated that nCeO2 was taken up by plant roots and translocated towards aerial plant fractions. Biometric variables showed that plants responded negatively to the treatments with a shortage in biomass of roots and stems. Although not at relevant concentrations, Ce was accumu-lated mainly in roots and plant leaves.