Little is known about the effects of surface coating on the interaction of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) with root crops. In this study, carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) was cultivated for 110 days in soil amended with unmodified, hydrophobic (coated with aluminum oxide and dimethicone), and hydrophilic (coated with aluminum oxide and glycerol) titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg. ICP-OES/MS was used to determine Ti and essential elements in tissues, while relative chlorophyll content, carotene, and antioxidant responses were determined with UV/Vis. At 400 mg/kg, pristine, hydrophilic, and hydrophilic nano-TiO2 increased (p ≤ 0.05) b-carotene in leaves and in roots, compared with control. The root biomass was significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) by hydrophilic (54-71%) and hydrophobic (44-60%) nano-TiO2, at all concentrations, and by pristine nano-TiO2 only at 400 mg/kg (60%). Nutrient element contents in leaves and roots were altered differently by nano TiO2 treatments. The uptake of Ti by roots was detected by two-photon microscopy. The three nano-TiO2 exerted contrasting effects in carrot: on one hand they reduced root biomass but on the other hand, they increase b-carotene.

Effect of surface coated TiO2 NPs on carrot (Daucus carota) development

2019 Fall National Meeting

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