Effects of heavy metals stress on phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of Pistacia lentiscus affected plant by acid mine drainage (AMD)

Subject Areas : Stress Physiology

Malika Khelfaoui ¹ , Sihem Kherraf ² , Daoiya Zouied ³ , Wissame Chettah ⁴ , Amina Benaissa ⁵ , Ibtissem Bouras ⁶ , Karima Dob ⁷ , Hajer Fadhil ⁸ , Jamilla Kalthoum CHERIF ⁹

1 - Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
2 - 1. Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
3 - 1. Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
4 - Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
5 - 1. Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
6 - 1. Laboratory LGCES, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University, El-Hadaeik Road, P.O. Box 26, Skikda 21000, Algeria
7 - Department of Technology, Faculty of Technology, 20 August 1955 University of Skikda, Algeria
8 - Laboratoire d’Application de la Chimie aux Ressources et Substances Naturelles et `a l’Environnement (LACReSNE), Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia
9 - Laboratoire d’Application de la Chimie aux Ressources et Substances Naturelles et `a l’Environnement (LACReSNE), Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia

Received: 2024-08-09 Accepted : 2024-09-01 Published : 2024-10-07

Keywords: soil pollution, plant, metal stress, total phenolic, antioxidant activity,

Abstract :

Pistacia lentiscus (PL) has traditionally been used in medicine for its beneficial properties for human health, such as reducing diseases caused by oxidative stress. This research reports the physiological responses of Pistacia lentiscus subjected to heavy metal stress from an abandoned Pb/Zn mine. The study investigates the concentrations of heavy metals present in soil impacted by acid mine drainage (AMD), their uptake by various parts of Pistacia lentiscus, as well as the phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity. Standard techniques were utilized to quantify the total amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity was employed to analyze the antioxidant capacity, and the heavy metal analysis was done using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (SAAF). The results show a high concentration of heavy metals in the soil, and Pistacia lentiscus appears to be well tolerant to these high metal concentrations by using an exclusion strategy, except in the case of Mn and Cr metals. The greatest amount of flavonoids and phenolic compounds was found in the dry leaf extracts using a methanol/water (80/20) solvent. However, DPPH testing revealed that non-affected Pistacia lentiscus leaves had higher antioxidant activity than those of affected plants. The results also demonstrated that the methanol/water solvent extracted the highest quantity of phenolic compounds and exhibited the best antioxidant activity. The polyphenol and flavonoid content showed a nonlinear connection with the antioxidant activity of Pistacia lentiscus leaves. Therefore, to address heavy metal stress situations, Pistacia lentiscus has developed several phytochemical defense mechanisms, and phenolic compounds play a crucial role in the plant's environmental adaptation.

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