The effect of heavy metal pollution in soil on serbian poplar clones

Oxidative stress is known as disturbed balance between antioxidative protection mechanism and production of reactive oxygen species, which can negatively influence on normal biological and metabolical processes in living organisms, such as poplar species. Phytoremediation is promising biotechnical method of cleaning of polluted soils by various pollutants: heavy metals, organic contaminants, pesticides, oil etc. Until today, poplars showed potential for regenerating polluted soils during phytoremediation process. This study represents results of oxidative stress profiles of three poplar clones (M1, B229 and PE 19/66) shoots from Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Serbia, while being treated by different concentration of three heavy metals in soil: Ni³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd ²⁺. Biochemical parameters of oxidative stress which have been analyzed were: content of soluble proteins, intensity of lipid peroxidation, antioxidative capacity by ferric reducing antioxidative power assay and activity of superoxid dismutase. Results showed that the most acceptable phytoremediation response to heavy metal pollution in soil showed clone M1. Great differences between B229 and PE 19/66 clones were in response on soil heavy metal contamination, directly suggesting of not being suitable for possible phytoremediation application.