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Contribution of Cd-EDTA complexes to cadmium uptake by maize: a modelling approach

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Abstract

Background and aims

Chelant-enhanced phytoextraction has given variable and often unexplained experimental results. This work was carried out to better understand the mechanisms of Cd plant uptake in the presence of EDTA and to evaluate the contributions of Cd-EDTA complexes to the uptake.

Method

A 1-D mechanistic model was implemented, which described the free Cd2+ root absorption, the dissociation and the direct absorption of the Cd-EDTA complexes. It was used to explain Cd uptake by maize in hydroponics and in soil.

Results

In hydroponics, the addition of EDTA caused a decrease in Cd uptake by maize, particularly when the ratio of total EDTA ([EDTA] T ) to total Cd ([Cd] T ) was greater than 1. At [Cd] T = 1 μM, when [EDTA] T /[Cd] T < 1, the model indicated that Cd uptake was predominantly due to the absorption of free Cd2+, whose pool was replenished by the dissociation of Cd-EDTA. When [EDTA] T /[Cd] T > 1, the low Cd uptake was mostly due to Cd-EDTA absorption. In soil spiked with 5 mg Cd kg−1, Cd uptake was not affected by the various EDTA additions, because of the buffering capacity of the soil solid phase.

Conclusions

Addition of EDTA to soil increases Cd solubility but dissociation of Cd-EDTA limits the availability of the free Cd2+ at the root surface, which finally reduces the plant uptake of the metal.

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Abbreviations

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

NTA:

Nitrilotriacetic acid

EDDS:

Ethylenediamine disuccinic acid

MES:

Morpholinoethane sulfonic acid

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported through a doctoral grant funded by the Région Lorraine and French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA). The authors thank Didier Stemmelen (Laboratoire d’Energétique et de Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée) and the technical staff of the Laboratoire Sols et Environnement for their precious help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, UMR 1120, TSA 40602, 54518, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Jean-Marc Custos, Tiphaine Treillon & Thibault Sterckeman

  2. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRA, UMR 1120, TSA 40602, 54518, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Jean-Marc Custos, Tiphaine Treillon & Thibault Sterckeman

  3. Laboratoire d’Énergétique et de Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée, Université de Lorraine, UMR 7563, BP 160, 54504, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Christian Moyne

  4. Laboratoire d’Énergétique et de Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée, CNRS, UMR 7563, BP 160, 54504, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Christian Moyne

Authors
  1. Jean-Marc Custos
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  2. Christian Moyne
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  3. Tiphaine Treillon
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  4. Thibault Sterckeman
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Correspondence to Thibault Sterckeman.

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Responsible Editor: Fangjie Zhao.

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Custos, JM., Moyne, C., Treillon, T. et al. Contribution of Cd-EDTA complexes to cadmium uptake by maize: a modelling approach. Plant Soil 374, 497–512 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1906-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1906-7

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