Authors : Hocine-Benabid , Mohamed Fouzi-Ghorab and Abdelbaki Djebaili
Abstract: Cadmium like other heavy metals is known to be a serious toxic element and one of the most hazardous environmental pollutants not only to soil and plants, but also to humans and animals. The increasing emission of Cd from a variety of sources because it is commonly used in many fields created a great interest about the possible movement of Cd and other heavy metals into the atmosphere, water and food chain as a result of plant uptake. The presence of a number of heavy metals creates interactions between them in soil or within the plant. This study summarizes the various effects of Cd on beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) and its responses by studying the behaviour of the element in bean plants as reduced by Zn competition with Cd chosen for the purpose of minimizing potential damage that could result from the exposure to cadmium. Analyses were carried out using spectroscopic techniques and the results obtained have shown the great toxicity of Cd and the fragile resistance of the plant indicated by the quick response to the various concentrations of the element and the antagonistic relation with Zn added at different concentrations. The study also indicates the direct effect of pH on the availability and the bioaccumulation of the element into the plant.
Hocine-Benabid , Mohamed Fouzi-Ghorab and Abdelbaki Djebaili , 2007. Cadmium as an Environmental Pollutant Study of Evolution of Cadmium, its Effects on Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) and its Interaction with Zinc . Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 2: 712-714.