Leveraging algal-derived biopolymers to alleviate multi-metal phytotoxicity and enhance maize growth in industrially contaminated soils.
Murtaza G, Hassan NE, Riaz J, Huseynova A, Alahmad W
Phytoremediation
If carrageenan soil amendments scale beyond the lab, the vegetables grown near industrial zones — the fields closest to where millions of people already live and eat — could carry a fraction of the heavy metals they do today.
Researchers mixed a natural gel made from red seaweed into contaminated soil and grew corn in it. The gel locked up harmful metals like lead and cadmium so the corn roots couldn't absorb them, and the plants grew bigger and healthier as a result. It also woke up the plants' own internal defense systems, like a nutritional boost that helps them cope with a toxic environment.
Key Findings
Carrageenan reduced plant-available cadmium in soil by up to 83% and cut cadmium accumulation in maize shoots by up to 90%.
Antioxidant enzyme activity in maize increased dramatically — peroxidase by up to 150% and a key detox enzyme (glyoxalase) by up to 160% — indicating stronger stress defense.
Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids) rose by up to 65% and 168% respectively, meaning the plants captured sunlight far more efficiently after treatment.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A seaweed-derived gel called carrageenan, applied to heavily polluted industrial soils, dramatically reduced toxic metal uptake in maize plants and boosted their growth and resilience. The treatment cut cadmium in plant shoots by up to 90%, suggesting carrageenan could be a practical, low-cost tool for farming safely on contaminated land.
Abstract Preview
Heavy metal contamination of industrial soils severely constrains crop productivity and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated effectiveness of algal-derived biopolymer carrageenan in m...
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Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern ...