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Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025)

Plant toxicity of four HMs: Arsenate, cadmium, chromium and lead: A mini review

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.7926
Submitted
25 February 2025
Published
13-07-2025 — Updated on 21-07-2025
Versions

Abstract

The presence of heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural soils plays a crucial role in plant life, as these elements are necessary for plant growth and development. However, they can also have detrimental effects on plants and the environment. In recent years, research on HMs has gained significant attention and is expected to become a dominant field due to their harmful impact on humans, animals and plants. The phytotoxicity of HMs is influenced by several factors, including the specific metal type, exposure route, dosage, plant age, nutritional status and environmental conditions. Among the most toxic metals to plants, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead are considered priority contaminants due to their severe impact on plant health. The current review discusses important HMs, their toxicity mechanisms to the plants and their interactions with special emphasis on the arsenate, cadmium, chromium and lead.

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