[Cytotoxicity of cadmium : study on root meristems of Allium sativum L].

Cadmium nitrate, acetate and sulphate cause death of root meristems of Allium sativum at 5.10(-7) Mol/ml concentration for the two first ones and 10(-7) Mol/ml for the last one. Lower concentrations do not induce chromosomal aberrations. As to the cellular toxicity, cadmium salts are between phenyl-mercuric-hydroxid and lead nitrate, the first one being the most active.