Changes of Phenolics, Antioxidant Activities and Fatty Acid Contents of Rhizophora mangle Exposed to Heavy Metals

Abstract

Changes of phenolics, antioxidant activities and fatty acid contents were determined in the mangrove plant exposed to Cu, Ni and Cd. Propagules of Rhizophora mangle were cultured for 12 weeks under the Cu (0.01 and 1 ppm), Ni (0.1 and 10 oom) and Cd (0.1 and 10 ppm) stresses. In comparison with control, morphological changes of mangrove root were not observed in 12 weeks. Significant changes of phenolics were not detected and antioxidant activities were dramatically increased in the metal-treated mangroves. Fatty acid, C14:1, C15:1 and C18:3n-6, contents were changed in the all of tested propagules. These results shows that DPPH radical scavenging assay and determination of fatty acid contents could be useful biomarkers for diagnosing responses of mangrove plant under heavy metal stress.