Abstract
Pectins are considered as a means for cleaning reservoirs and soils from heavy metals due to their high adsorption properties. The aim of the study was to find out how the adding of pectins into the nutrient medium would affect the toxicity of heavy metals such as cadmium and zinc. It was found that cadmium at a concentration of 10-4 Mol and zinc at a concentration of 5 mMol inhibited the accumulation of biomass by plants of 10-day durum wheat seedlings (Triticum durum Desf.). Pectins mitigated this effect, but to a small extent. In addition, there was a slight increase in the proportion of roots in seedlings of the variant with heavy metals and pectin. The leaf area of the seedlings also decreased under the influence of heavy metals, young leaves suffered the most. The addition of pectins had a negative effect on the formation of the leaf surface, and a decrease in this indicator was noted. It has been shown that pectins contribute to an increase in the content of organic carbon in wheat plants, while the content of the main pigments of photosynthesis decreases. However, in variants with pectins, the photochemical activity of chloroplasts is maintained at a higher level than in solutions with heavy metals only.