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Degradation of citrate promotes copper co-precipitation within aluminium-(hydr)oxides in calcareous soils

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Abstract

In this study, we provide experimental evidences that in calcareous soils microbial degradation/decomposition of citrate can promote Al-(hydr)oxide precipitation concurrently decreasing copper (Cu) solubility by a coprecipitation process. Citrate is an organic acid anion commonly released by roots to increase nutrient availability or to limit Al toxicity. However, under specific environmental conditions (i.e. high microbial activity of Al-citrate-degrading bacteria, alkaline pH), this organic acid may become ineffective in mobilizing Cu for the plant acquisition process. To demonstrate this, a calcareous soil and an artificial soil system have been treated with citrate solutions; then, changes in Al and Cu solubility and the formation of Cu-containing Al-(hydr)oxides were monitored. Both in experiments with the artificial soil and in those where the soil was inoculated with microbial strains, the formation of Cu-Al coprecipitates not only occurred but was also concurrent with the decrease of Cu and Al solubility. The role of bacteria in metal-citrate complex degradation has been assessed, and the 16S rDNA of bacteria related with these processes has been sequenced for genus identification. Bacteria belonging to Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Bradyrhizobium and Sphingopixis have been identified as possible candidates to degrade Al- and Cu-citrate complexes thus triggering the metal precipitation phenomena.

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Acknowledgements

Research was supported by grants from Italian Ministry of University and Reserach-MIUR (FIRB-Programme “Futuro in Ricerca”). We are grateful to Prof. Em. Pacifico Ruggiero of the University of Bari (Italy) and Dr. Matthieu Bravin of CIRAD (France) for their critical review of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Roberto Terzano, Giovanni Cuccovillo, Silvia Pascazio & Carmine Crecchio

  2. Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, C.N.R, C.da S. Loja, 85050, Tito Scalo, Italy

    Antonio Lettino & Saverio Fiore

  3. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Udine, Via delle Scienze 206, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Nicola Tomasi & Roberto Pinton

  4. Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

    Tanja Mimmo & Stefano Cesco

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  1. Roberto Terzano
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  2. Giovanni Cuccovillo
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  4. Carmine Crecchio
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Correspondence to Roberto Terzano.

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Terzano, R., Cuccovillo, G., Pascazio, S. et al. Degradation of citrate promotes copper co-precipitation within aluminium-(hydr)oxides in calcareous soils. Biol Fertil Soils 53, 115–128 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-016-1164-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-016-1164-y

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