Gümrükçüoğlu, AbidinAltuntaş, Cansu2026-07-202026-07-202025https://hdl.handle.net/11494/6368Arsenic (As) contamination of agricultural soils threatens crop productivity and food security globally. While chelate-assisted phytoextraction enhances metal bioavailability, conventional chelating agents often exacerbate phytotoxicity and are environmentally persistent, which limits their field application. This study evaluated naphthalene-1-yl naphthalene-2-sulfonate (NNS) as a dual-mechanism agent facilitating As accumulation while mitigating toxicity in Zea mays seedlings. NNS+As treatment increased As concentration by 69% compared to As alone, while reducing lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide by 37% each and moderating stress-induced proline accumulation by 37%. Antioxidant enzyme profiles were fundamentally altered: superoxide dismutase activity decreased 42% while catalase (86%), ascorbate peroxidase (25%), and guaiacol peroxidase (13%) activities increased significantly, enhancing H₂O₂ detoxification capacity. Non-enzymatic antioxidants increased substantially with NNS+As treatment: epicatechin (90%), chlorogenic acid (42%), syringic acid (42%), resveratrol (39%), and rutin (17%). Photosynthetic parameters showed remarkable recovery net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance increased 95-96% compared to As alone treatment, while intercellular CO₂ concentration increased 63%. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis revealed improved photosystem II efficiency, with maximum and effective quantum yields increasing 18% and 15%, respectively, while non-photochemical quenching decreased 7-17%. These findings demonstrate NNS functions as an innovative dual-action phytoremediation enhancer, simultaneously promoting As bioaccumulation while maintaining photosynthetic functionality and cellular redox homeostasis, representing a promising environmentally sustainable alternative for integrated contaminant removal and crop protection strategies.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAntioxidantsHeavy metalPhotosynthesisMaizeROSArticle9238639910.32571/ijct.1813546