THE TiO₂-Pt NANOPARTICLES EFFECT ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE ALLIUM SATIVUM SAGITATUM CALLUS
G. C. CORNEANU, M. CORNEANU, C. CRĂCIUN, C. LAZĂU, I. GROZESCU

Abstract. An in vitro callus culture of Allium sativum sagitatum was treated, or has not, with a fine powder of TiO₂-Pt nanoparticles for five days. The treated or
untreated callus culture, was maintained at a light regime of 16 h light per day, in a growth chamber, at 24°±2°C. The ultrastructural features of the callus were analyzed at a TEM JEOL JEM1010 apparatus (Electron Microscopy Center, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania). Because the treatment with TiO2-Pt nanoparticles was performed by spraying, the effect of the TiO₂-Pt nanoparticles effect was dependent on the cell position in the callus tissue. In the cells situated near the callus surface, the TiO₂-Pt nanoparticles presented a toxic effect, while in the cells from the middle of the callus, the TiO₂-Pt nanoparticles increased the metabolic processes, the cells being in an intense metabolic activity.