Combined cadmium and elevated ozone affect concentrations of cadmium and antioxidant systems in wheat under fully...

Pollution of the environment with both ozone (O(3)) and heavy metals has been steadily increasing. An understanding of their combined effects on plants, especially crops, is limited. Here we studied the effects of elevated O(3) on oxidative stress and bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) in wheat under Cd stress using a free-air concentration enrichment (FACE) system. In this field experiment in Jiangdu (Jiangsu Province, China), wheat plants were grown in pots containing soil with various concentrations of cadmium (0, 2, and 10 mg kg(-1) Cd was added to the soil) under ambient conditions and under elevated O(3) levels (50% higher than the ambient O(3)). Present results showed that elevated O(3) led to higher concentrations of Cd in wheat tissues (shoots, husk and grains) with respect to contaminated soil. Combined exposure to Cd and elevated O(3) levels strongly affected the antioxidant isoenzymes POD, APX and CAT and accelerated oxidative stress in wheat leaves. Our results suggest that elevated O(3) levels cause a reduction in food quality and safety.