Schwertmannite (Fe(8)O(8)(OH)(5.5)(SO(4))(1.25)), jarosite (KFe(3)(SO(4))(2)(OH)(6)) and goethite (FeOOH) control natural attenuation of arsenic in acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted areas. Batch experiments were conducted to examine the sorption capacity of synthetic goethite and synthetic jarosite at highly acidic pH (1.5-2.5), at two ionic strengths (0.02-0.15 mol dm(-3), NaCl) and at sulphate concentrations in the range of 5 x 10(-3) to 2.8 x 10(-1) mol dm(-3). In the absence of competitive effects of other anions, K-jarosite presents better removal efficiency than goethite for As(V). The maximum sorption capacity is estimated to be 1.2 x 10(-4) and 7.0 x 10(-6)mol m(-2) for jarosite and goethite, respectively, under similar experimental conditions. The variation of arsenic sorbed on goethite as a function of the equilibrium arsenic concentration in solution fits a non-competitive Langmuir isotherm. In the case of K-jarosite, sorption data could not fit a Langmuir or Freundlich isotherm since sulphate-arsenate anion exchange is probably the sorption mechanism. Ionic strength and pH have little effect on the sorption capacity of goethite and jarosite in the small range of pH studied. The presence of sulphate, which is the main anion in AMD natural systems, has a negative effect on arsenic removal since sulphate competes with arsenate for surface sorption sites. Moreover, mobilization of arsenic in the transformation of schwertmannite to jarosite or goethite at pH 2-3 is proposed since the sorption capacities of goethite and K-jarosite are considerably lower than those reported for schwertmannite.

Arsenate uptake consists of a rapid, apparently irreversible, initial phase followed by a less rapid 'steady state' phase, both of which are temperature sensitive and strongly inhibited by phosphate. By comparison, 'steady state' uptake of phosphate was only weakly inhibited by arsenate. The initial and 'steady state' phases of arsenate uptake were highly correlated (R = 0.958, P < 0.001). Arsenite also appeared to exhibit initial and 'steady state' uptake phases but uptake was slower by a factor of 3-4 than for arsenate at the same concentration. The results are discussed in relation to recent work on a DNP-sensitive initial binding step in the uptake of other elements.

Arsenic (As) is ubiquitous in nature and humans being exposed to arsenic via atmospheric air, ground water and food sources are certain. Major sources of arsenic contamination could be either through geological or via anthropogenic activities. In physiological individuals, organ system is described as group of organs that transact collectively and associate with other systems for conventional body functions. Arsenic has been associated with persuading a variety of complications in body organ systems: integumentary, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, immune, endocrine, hepatic, renal, reproductive system and development. In this review, we outline the effects of arsenic on the human body with a main focus on assorted organ systems with respective disease conditions. Additionally, underlying mechanisms of disease development in each organ system due to arsenic have also been explored. Strikingly, arsenic has been able to induce epigenetic changes (in utero) and genetic mutations (a leading cause of cancer) in the body. Occurrence of various arsenic induced health effects involving emerging areas such as epigenetics and cancer along with their respective mechanisms are also briefly discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses affecting the productivity of most field crops. Elucidation of the complex mechanisms underlying drought resistance in crops will accelerate the development of new varieties with enhanced drought resistance. Here, we provide a brief review on the progress in genetic, genomic, and molecular studies of drought resistance in major crops. Drought resistance is regulated by numerous small-effect loci and hundreds of genes that control various morphological and physiological responses to drought. This review focuses on recent studies of genes that have been well characterized as affecting drought resistance and genes that have been successfully engineered in staple crops. We propose that one significant challenge will be to unravel the complex mechanisms of drought resistance in crops through more intensive and integrative studies in order to find key functional components or machineries that can be used as tools for engineering and breeding drought-resistant crops.

农业面源和重金属污染日益加剧, 严重威胁农业生态环境与人类健康。探究作物对重金属的累积效应及生理机制对重金属污染的治理意义重大。本文以淄蓖5号为材料, 研究重金属处理下(Cu、Zn、Cd, 处理浓度分别为0、30、60、120 mg L^-1)蓖麻幼苗对各重金属的积累效应及相关生理机制, 为重金属污染土壤的修复与防治奠定基础。重金属处理显著影响蓖麻植株的生长、生理及对重金属的积累。随着重金属浓度的增加, 株高先增后降, 在60 mg L^-1时达最大值; 根长、鲜重、干重显著降低。叶片中SOD活性先降后增, 在10 DAS (播种后天数) 120 mg L^-1 Cu和Zn处理下活性最高, 分别增加了45.5%和31.8%; POD活性在10 DAS先降后增, 而在25 DAS和45 DAS显著增加, 且POD活性随生长进程的推进增加显著。可溶性蛋白含量仅在120 mg L^-1Cu处理下显著增加, 分别增加了18.8%、66.7%和83.3%。MDA含量随着处理浓度的增加显著增加, 随生育进程的推进而显著降低, 且Cd处理下的MDA含量显著高于Cu和Zn处理。蓖麻植株对Cu、Zn、Cd的积累量随处理浓度的增加而递增, 在120 mg L^-1浓度下积累量最大, 其中对Zn的积累量最高, Cd次之, 各器官对重金属的积累量表现为根>茎>叶。表明蓖麻对重金属具有一定的耐受性, 蓖麻植株主要通过提高抗氧化酶活性缓解重金属胁迫; 蓖麻对不同重金属的积累具有器官特异性; 种植蓖麻可作为修复Cu、Zn、Cd等重金属污染土壤的有效途径之一。

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid and recognized carcinogen. Arsenate and arsenite are the most common arsenic species available for uptake by plants. As an inorganic phosphate (Pi) analog, arsenate is acquired by plant roots through endogenous Pi transport systems. Inside the cell, arsenate is reduced to the thiol-reactive form arsenite. Glutathione (GSH)-conjugates of arsenite may be extruded from the cell or sequestered in vacuoles by members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family of transporters. In the present study we sought to enhance both plant arsenic uptake through Pi transporter overexpression, and plant arsenic tolerance through ABC transporter overexpression. We demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing the high-affinity Pi transporter family members, AtPht1;1 or AtPht1;7, are hypersensitive to arsenate due to increased arsenate uptake. These plants do not exhibit increased sensitivity to arsenite. Co-overexpression of the yeast ABC transporter YCF1 in combination with AtPht1;1 or AtPht1;7 suppresses the arsenate-sensitive phenotype while further enhancing arsenic uptake. Taken together, our results support an arsenic transport mechanism in which arsenate uptake is increased through Pi transporter overexpression, and arsenic tolerance is enhanced through YCF1-mediated vacuolar sequestration. This work substantiates the viability of coupling enhanced uptake and vacuolar sequestration as a means for developing a prototypical engineered arsenic hyperaccumulator.Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.