Hyperaccumulation ofCadmiumand DNAChanges in PopularVegetable, Brassica chinensis L.

Abstract

Brassica chinensis L. is a popular vegetable, especially in Asian dishes. For plant growing with<br />inorganic fertilizer, cadmium (Cd) has been one of the highest metal and health-risk factors included. This<br />research aimed to assess the bioaccumulation of Cd by the plant and its genetic changes. The plant was grown<br />in the soil supplemented by Cd at 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg. The accumulations in the roots, stems and<br />leaves, were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), then the Bioconcentration Factor<br />(BCF) and translocation Factor (TF) were calculated. DNA changes were accessed by random Amplified<br />polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with Genomic Template Stability (GTS) tests. The Cd accumulation in the plant<br />parts after 30 days of the treatments ranged from 80.93 to 5053.48 mg/kg, 35.53 to 2439.61 mg/kg, and 21.21 to<br />2231.02 mg/kg, respectively. The BCF and TF values ranged from 4.54 to 12.66 and 0.70 to 1.67, respectively.<br />From RAPD fingerprints, the GTS values ranged from 51.34 to 80.96%. At the highest concentration of Cd<br />supplemented (120 mg/kg), the DNA resulted in the highest changes (GTS = 51.34%). These results, including<br />BCF and TF values, also indicated that B. chinensis is a Cd-hyperaccumulator, therefore, consuming the plants<br />growing in the Cd-polluted area is a health risk