Stable isotope signatures of Zn have shown great promise in elucidating changes in uptake and translocation mechanisms of this metal in plants during environmental changes. Here this potential was tested by investigating the effect of high Zn concentrations on the isotopic fractionation patterns of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. Plants were grown for 40 d in a nutritive solution co...

Soils that have been acutely contaminated by heavy metals show distinct characteristics, such as colonization by metal-tolerant plant species and topsoil enrichment in weakly degraded plant debris, because biodegradation processes are strongly inhibited by contamination. Such an organic topsoil, located downwind of an active zinc smelter and extremely rich in Zn (approximately 2%, dry weight), ...

The first cases of human Zn deficiency were described in the 1960s in the Middle East. Nevertheless, it was not until 2002 that Zn deficiency was included as a major risk factor in the global burden of disease, and only in 2004 did WHO/UNICEF include Zn supplements in the treatment of acute diarrhoea. Despite this recognition Zn is still not included in the UN micronutrient priority list, an om...

Zinc (Zn) is an important nutrient that is involved in various physiological metabolisms. Zn dyshomeostasis is often associated with various pathogeneses of chronic diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and related complications. Zn is present in ocular tissue in high concentrations, particularly in the retina and choroid. Zn deficiencies have been shown to affect ocular development, ...

Black gram plants subjected to varying levels of Zn supply (0.01 to 10 microM Zn) showed optimum growth and dry matter yield in plants receiving 1 microM Zn. The dry matter yield of plants decreased in plants receiving 0.01 and 0.1 microM Zn (deficient) and excess levels of Zn (2 and 10 microM Zn). The plants grown with Zn deficient supply showed delayed flowering, premature bud abscission, red...

Zinc deficiency is causing malnutrition for nearly one third of world populations. It is especially relevant in cereal-based diets in which low amounts of mineral and protein are present. In biological systems, Zn is mainly associated with protein. Cereal grains contain the highest Zn concentration during early developmental stage. Although hordeins are the major storage proteins in the mature ...

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding inorganic or organic Zn and Cu on the performance and tissue mineral content of chicks. A corn-soybean meal diet without Cu and Zn supplementation, containing 31 mg of Zn/kg of diet and 6.6 mg of Cu/kg of diet, was used as a basal diet. Organic Zn (a chelated Zn proteinate) and organic Cu (a chelated Cu proteinate) were used as organic...

The maintenance of waterways generates large amounts of dredged sediments, which are deposited on adjacent land surfaces. These sediments are often rich in metal contaminants and present a risk to the local environment. Understanding how the metals are immobilized at the molecular level is critical for formulating effective metal containment strategies such as phytoremediation. In the present w...

By ST u’ iIsLAw SZMIGIELSKI AND JOANNA Ln’w T HE PHYSIOLOGIC and biochemical role of zinc (Zn), as a cofactor of many important enzymes ( carboxypeptidase, dehydrogenases, alkaline phosphate, carboanhydrase) is now well established, but our present knowledge of zinc metabolism and transport in the human body is still incomplete. Vallee1 estimated Zn content in whole blood at 880 gamma/100 ml. H...

Phytoextraction relies on plants with a high capacity to absorb heavy metals and remove them from the soil. The objective of this study was to analyze the potential of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) for phytoextraction of Zn-contaminated soil. Research was based on a strict pot experiment conducted in a greenhouse. Seven treatments were established with inc...