Plot of the first two principal components from Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

<p>The PCA was performed with As, Fe and Mn in DCB extracts, total As in soil, Fe₂O₃ and Mn₂O₃, available phosphorus (AP) and Si (ASi), selected soil properties, As in rice tissues.</p

Mechanisms Controlling Arsenic Uptake in Rice Grown in Mining Impacted Regions in South China

<div><p>Foods produced on soils impacted by Pb-Zn mining activities are a potential health risk due to plant uptake of the arsenic (As) associated with such mining. A field survey was undertaken in two Pb-Zn mining-impacted paddy fields in Guangdong Province, China to assess As accumulation and translocation, as well as other factors influencing As in twelve commonly grown rice cultivars. The results showed that grain As concentrations in all the surveyed rice failed national food standards, irrespective of As speciation. Among the 12 rice cultivars, “SY-89” and “DY-162” had the least As in rice grain. No significant difference for As concentration in grain was observed between the rice grown in the two areas that differed significantly for soil As levels, suggesting that the amount of As contamination in the soil is not necessarily the overriding factor controlling the As content in the rice grain. The iron and manganese plaque on the root surface curtailed As accumulation in rice roots. Based on our results, the accumulation of As within rice plants was strongly associated with such soil properties such as silicon, phosphorus, organic matter, pH, and clay content. Understanding the factors and mechanisms controlling As uptake is important to develop mitigation measures that can reduce the amount of As accumulated in rice grains produced on contaminated soils.</p></div

Cultivar means for each parameter as observed in Renhua and Lechang.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; means within a row for a certain genotype grown in Lechang or Renhua followed by different letters are significantly different at the 0.05 level; the comparisons are based on estimated marginal means.</p><p>Cultivar means for each parameter as observed in Renhua and Lechang.</p

Descriptive statistics of rice plant accumulation and transfer factors.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; probability indicates the differences between Renhua and Lechang; n represents Number of samples; the <i>italic</i> number represents the minimum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples; the <b>bold</b> number represents the maximum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples.</p><p>Descriptive statistics of rice plant accumulation and transfer factors.</p

Descriptive statistics of soil properties of Renhua and Lechang.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; probability indicates the differences between Renhua and Lechang; n represents Number of samples; the <i>italic</i> number represents the minimum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples; the <b>bold</b> number represents the maximum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples.</p><p>Descriptive statistics of soil properties of Renhua and Lechang.</p

Location map of the study area and distribution of sampling sites.

<p>Location map of the study area and distribution of sampling sites.</p