Toxic metals in Raphanus sativus: assessing the levels of cadmium and lead in plants and damage to production

Abstract

An essay in the greenhouse was conducted to evaluate the effects of cadmium and lead in radishes grown in nutrient solution. The doses of Cd used were 0.0; 0.025; 0.1; 0.5 and 1.0 mg L-1 and Pb 0.0; 0.25; 1.0; 5.0 and 10.0 mg L-1. The increase in absorption of Cd and Pb was achieved by increasing the concentration of these elements in the solution. The roots accumulate greater amounts of metal from the leaves, followed by the tubers. The content of Cd deleterious to the production of roots was from 0.1 mg L-1. Higher doses than those used in this study (1.0 mg L-1 Cd and 10.0 mg L-1 Pb) can be considered critical for toxicity and plants would be completely eliminated from such concentrations. Cd and Pb are metals of low translocation in the plants and its harmful effect is due to the deposition of highly stable chelates in the roots.