The concentration of non-enzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbate and glutathione in tissues is one of the major plant responses to biotic and many abiotic stresses, including metals. Therefore, it is crucial to develop the most effective methods for simultaneous quantitative analysis of these antioxidants. Capillary zone electrophoresis allows relatively fast and effective analysis. The aim of the paper was to apply and optimise the capillary electrophoresis conditions for simultaneous determination of glutathione, glutathione disulphide, ascorbate, and dehydroascorbate in small plant tissue samples exposed to copper and cadmium. The method ensures good linearity and reproducibility, with correlation coefficients 0.988 for ascorbate and 0.999 for glutathione and glutathione disulphide, and with detection limits approximately 2.50, 0.65 and 0.50 ppm, respectively. Cu stress was found to increase the ascorbate concentration and glutathione content in leaves, while Cd increased glutathione in the oldest leaf segments and root.

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