Heavy Metal Pollution Mediated Oxidative Stress in Amaranthus hybridus Leaves

The effect of the same concentration of heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) pollution on oxidative stress parameters in A. hybridus leaves after fifty days was investigated. A. hybridus leaves from soil sample without heavy metal pollution served as the control. Results indicated that there were significant (p< 0.05) difference in some of the oxidative stress parameters (glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AA), protein thiol (PSH) and catalase (CAT) activity) mediated by heavy metal pollution from aqueous leaf extract of A. hybridus when compared to the control, indicating that heavy metal pollution at high concentration mediated oxidative stress in A. hybridus leaves. Heavy metals at higher concentration are toxic to plants which affect their normal metabolism and exhibit unhealthy characteristics growth.