Phytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Copper Nanoparticles in Coriander (-Apiaceae).

Engineered metal nanoparticles have been widely used in several applications that may lead to increased exposure to the environment. In this study, we assessed the phytotoxic effect of various concentrations of copper nanoparticles CuNP, (200, 400 and 800 mg/L) on coriander () plants grown hydroponically. plants treated with CuNP demonstrated decreased biomass and root length in comparison to control untreated plants. Additionally, decreased levels of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b) were also seen in plants treated with CuNP, as well as damage to the root plasma membrane as demonstrated by Evan's blue dye and increased electrolyte leakage. Moreover, our results exhibited increased levels of H₂O₂ and MDA on plants treated with CuNP. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis confirmed that treated with CuNP accumulated the latter in plant root tissues. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis confirmed the genotoxic effect of CuNP, which altered the genome. This was shown by the different banding pattern of RAPD. Overall, our results exhibited that CuNP is toxic to plants.