Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on physiological and anatomical characteristics of Baby sun rose (Aptenia cordifolia)

In this study, the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles, as nanoparticles that are the most widely used in industry, on the morphological, and anatomical and biochemical properties of the baby sun rose Aptenia cordifolia was studied by method of spraying in four different concentrations.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were sprayed on the baby sun rose plant twice a week. Growth parameters and chlorophyll content, phenol and flavonoids were measured. To study the anatomical structure of the plant; manual cutting, composite staining and Stomatal count were performed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 software and the Duncan test.

Treatment of titanium dioxide nanoparticles significantly increased photosynthetic pigments of chlorophyll a and b in the treated plants. The highest amount of phenol and flavonoids in the fourth leaf was related to the plant treated with 0.05% titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Also, the treatment of titanium dioxide nanoparticles increased the vascular diameter in the root and decreased the vascular diameter in the stem of some treatments.

The different morphological, biochemical, and anatomical responses of the baby sun rose to indicate the plant's genetic potential for growth in an environment contaminated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles.