DefinePK

Abstract

Heavy metal toxicity has become one of the major concerns in today’s world because of amplified environmental pollution. Heavy metals mainly, selenium and thallium are non-biodegradable and bio accumulative that frequently lead to adverse biological effects. This study investigates harmful effects of these metals on different plants, plant response, mobility, uptake and accumulation.  Plants necessitate certain heavy metals for their growth and development, but their excessive amounts can become toxic to plants. ROS generation is activated as a result that causes the oxidative stress by distressing the equilibrium between pro-oxidant and antioxidant with in the plant cells, DNA damage and denaturation of cell structure and membrane that finally results in the programmed cell death (PCD). To lessen ROS generation, there are enzymatic and nonenzymatic scavengers such as CAT, SOD, AsA, GSH etc. that counteracts the metal stress.