Morphology, ultrastructure, and element uptake in Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Calophyllaceae J. Agardh) seedlings under cadmium exposure.

Cadmium (Cd) is a metal known for its genotoxicity and cytotoxicity, much concerned for its potential environmental and human health impacts. This study evaluates the toxic effect of Cd in Calophyllum brasiliense plants. The plants were cultivated for 30 days in full nutrient solution in order to adapt, and for 15 days in nutrient solution without Cd or with 4, 8, 16, and 32 μmol Cd L-1. Anatomical analysis of the leaf showed no significant effects of Cd on epidermal thickness in abaxial and adaxial sides, palisade, and spongy parenchyma. Contrastingly, changes were noticed in the ultrastructural level in the leaf mesophyll cells as rupture of the membrane of chloroplasts and disorganization of the thylakoid membranes, in starch grains and in mitochondria with rupture of the membrane and invagination of the nuclear membrane. Electron dense materials into cells of the cortex and vascular bundle were also observed. In the cells of the root system, the observed ultrastructural changes were disruption of the cell wall and electron dense material deposition in the cortex cells and vascular region. Cd accumulated in roots with low translocation into shoot. Cd toxicity also affected the photosynthetic activity, inducing stomatal closure and photosynthetic assimilation reduction and the instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, drastically reducing the leaf transpiration. The nutrient content in the stem and root was variable, according to Cd increase in nutrient solution. Based on the experimental evidence, it can be concluded that C. brasiliense has potential to bioconcentrate high Cd levels in the root system.