BIOGENIC AND ANTHROPOGENIC MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES IN THE PHLOEM SIEVE TUBES OF PLANTS

MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES IN PLANTS

Abstract

The samples of leaves and roots of Nicotiana tabacum, the stems and tubers of Solanum tuberosum and the stems of pea Pisum sativum were examined by scanning probe microscopy in atomic force and magnetic force modes after cultivation without and with addition of magnetite nanoparticles in soil. Chains of both biogenic and anthropogenic magnetic nanoparticles are detected in the wall of the phloem sieve tubes i.e., the vascular tissue of plants. Such a localization of biogenic magnetic nanoparticles supports the idea that the chains of magnetic nanoparticles in different organs of plants have common metabolic functions. Stray gradient magnetic fields about several thousand Oe, which are created by chains of both biogenic and anthropogenic magnetic nanoparticles, can significantly affect the metabolic processes through the influence on mass transfer of vesicles, granules, organelles and other components. In view of the results of this investigation, both BMNs and anthropogenic magnetite nanoparticles chains can significantly affect the processes of mass transfer of vesicles, organelles, structural elements of the membrane and others components because they create stray magnetic fields and gradient magnetic forces.