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Role of ligands in accumulation and fractionation of rare earth elements in plants

Examples of phosphate and citrate

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Abstract

Few studies have been carried out on the effects of ligands on rare earth element (REE) bioaccumulation processes. In this study, the effects of phosphate (Pi, an inorganic ligand) and citrate (an organic ligand) on accumulation and fractionation of REEs in wheat were investigated using aqueous culture with extranous mixed REEs (MRE). The results show that initial Pi solution culture at various levels followed by exposure to a fixed-MRE solution did not significantly change the total concentrations of REEs (ΣREE) in roots, whereas the ΣREE in leaves dramatically decreased with increasing levels of Pi applied. Simultaneous culture of wheat with mixture of MRE and citrate solutions caused obvious decreases of the ΣREE in both roots and leaves. Compared with MRE, significant fractionations of REEs were found in wheat organs when no ligand was applied. Notable middle REE (MREE) enrichment and M-type tetrad effect were observed in the roots, and heavy REE (HREE) enrichment and W-type tetrad effect existed in the leaves. Pi treatments did not significantly affect the fractionations of REEs in the roots, but enrichment of HREEs in the leaves slightly increased at the highest level of Pi applied. Fractionations of REEs in both roots and leaves decreased with increasing levels of citrate applied; at higher levels of citrate (≥150 μM), no above fractionation features were observed in wheat, but light REE (LREE) enrichment existed in the roots and leaves. The results indicate that ligands might play important roles in accumulation and fractionation of REEs during bioaccumulation processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China

    Shiming Ding & Tao Liang

  2. Department of Geography and Environmental Change Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Chaosheng Zhang

  3. Department of Soil & Agrichemistry, Anhui Agricultural University, 230036, Hefei, China

    Juncai Yan & Zili Zhang

  4. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, 210093, Nanjing, China

    Qin Sun

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  1. Shiming Ding
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  2. Tao Liang
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Ding, S., Liang, T., Zhang, C. et al. Role of ligands in accumulation and fractionation of rare earth elements in plants. Biol Trace Elem Res 107, 73–86 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:107:1:073

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:107:1:073

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