The impact of different levels of sodium chloride on the quantitative changes of chlorophyll and carotenoids in chloroplasts of Elodea canadensis (Michx. 1803)

Abstract

In this study we used spectrophotometry to investigate the effect of negative concentrations of sodium chloride ions on photosynthetic pigments in Elodea canadensis (Michx. 1803). The concentrations of pigments, carotenoids, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, in plant leaves provide information about the physiological state of plants and were determined using a spectrophotometer. Quantity and dynamics analyses of photosynthetic pigments are effective methods which allow determining changes in metabolites of plant cells even at insignificant cellular damage. During this research photosynthetic pigments in leaves were obtained at the different sodium chloride levels: 0.0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 M. The results of this research indicate that these types of stressors at high concentrations: 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0  M after a prolonged time of impact on plant leaves lead to a decrease of photosynthetic pigments and inhibit growth and development of a plant as a whole.