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Chelator-induced phytoextraction of zinc and copper by rice seedlings

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Abstract

Solution culture was carried to investigate capacity of synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids (ethylenediamine tetraacetate, N-hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid, and diethylenetriamine-pentaacetate) for enhancing botanical removal and transport of heavy metals (Cu and Zn) by plants. Biodegradable organic acids (citric acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid) were also selected as alternatives to compare them with synthesized chelating agents for effectiveness. Young rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L. cv. XZX 45) were grown in nutrient solutions treated with single or combined metal solutions in presence or absence of chelating compounds. Calculation by chemical equilibrium program VISUAL MINTEQ showed that different chelating compounds had various complex potential with Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions, in which synthetic chelators exhibited higher complexed capability than biodegradable organic acids. All applied synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids significantly decreased removal of metal from nutrient solution (p < 0.01), while more or less effects of organic acids supplied on biosorptive potential were observed with all treatments (p > 0.05), compared with the treatment without metal ligands. Synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids significantly decreased metal concentrations in plant materials in all treatments (p < 0.01). However, biodegradable organic acids decreased metal concentrations in roots (p < 0.01), but enhanced them in shoots (p < 0.01). Results obtained indicated that synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids decreased uptake of metals by rice seedlings, but translocation of metals complexed within plant materials was evident. Although exogenous biodegradable organic acids showed negligible effect on botanical removal of metals, metals complexed with organic acids was more mobile than those complexed with other chelating agents. These information collected here had important implication for the use of biodegradable metal chelators in transport of essential micronutrients in plant nutrition.

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Acknowledgments

This work is financially supported by a research foundation from Guilin University of Technology (Grant No: GUTRC2011007) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 41161075).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science & Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-Zhang Yu, Dun-Qiu Wang & Xue-Hong Zhang

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  1. Xiao-Zhang Yu
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  2. Dun-Qiu Wang
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  3. Xue-Hong Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiao-Zhang Yu or Xue-Hong Zhang.

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Yu, XZ., Wang, DQ. & Zhang, XH. Chelator-induced phytoextraction of zinc and copper by rice seedlings. Ecotoxicology 23, 749–756 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1188-8

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