Magnetic Nanoparticle Genetic Impact on Root Tip Cells of Sunflower Seedlings

Simulated magnetic contamination of plants during early ontogenetic stages was studied in arranged laboratory conditions using magnetic nanoparticles based on compound metal oxides. Aqueous suspensions of magnetic colloidal nanoparticles of Fe3O4, CoFe2O4, and ZnFe2O4, were administrated to freshly germinated sunflower seeds in the same array of dilutions (v/v): 20–40–60–80–100 μl/l, the results of their genetic impact in the root tip cells being qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Cytogenetic tests carried out by optical microscopy means provided data on the types of abnormal cell divisions as well as on the mitosis rate and total percentage of chromosomal aberrations. Considerable diminished mitosis rate was evidenced in all situations, while remarkably enhanced number of chromosomal aberrations was also evidenced for all three cases with higher nanotoxicity revealed in the case of ZnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4. Chromosome fragments, interchromatidian bridges and micronuclei appeared in most analyzed samples with no noticeable difference for one type of magnetic nanoparticles or other.