The Impact of Aluminum Utensils on the Morphology of the Nucleolus in the Meristematic Cells of Onion Root

Background: Aluminum (Al) and its compounds are naturally present in the air, water, and many food sources. Excessive exposure to Al could adversely affect respiratory, hematological, nervous, immune, and skeletal systems. Considering the fact that under stress, the nucleoli number or size might change, this study aimed to investigate the influence of boiled water in Al containers on the nucleolus size and number in the root meristem cells of Allium cepa L. Methods: Onion roots were exposed to water boiled in an Al container at concentrations of ۵, ۱۰, and ۱۵ mg/l of Al for ۴۲ to ۴۳ h. Subsequently, the meristematic zone of the root tip cells was examined for nucleolus number, as well as the area of the nucleus and nucleolus. Results: According to the results, the mean nucleolus number and area in the study groups treated with any concentration of Al were not significantly different from that in the control group. Conclusion: The result of this study does not support the effect of aluminum cookware on the nucleolus number and area. Further investigations are needed to confirm the impact of Al on nucleolar morphology.

کلیدواژه ها:

Nucleus ، Nucleolus ، Allium cepa L. ، Aluminum cookware ، Area