Accumulation of total mercury and methylmercury in rice plants collected from different mining areas in China.
A total of 155 rice plants were collected from ten mining areas in three provinces of China (Hunan, Guizhou and Guangdong), where most of mercury (Hg) mining takes place in China. During the harvest season, whole rice plants were sampled and divided into root, stalk & leaf, husk and seed (brown rice), together with soil from root zone. Although the degree of Hg contamination varied significantly among different mining areas, rice seed showed the highest ability for methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation. Both concentrations of total mercury (THg) and MeHg in rice plants were significantly correlated with Hg levels in soil, indicating soil is still an important source for both inorganic mercury (IHg) and MeHg in rice plants. The obvious discrepancy between the distribution patterns of THg and MeHg reflected different pathways of IHg and MeHg accumulation. Water soluble Hg may play more important role in MeHg accumulation in rice plants.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
Mei
M
Meng
Bing
B
Li
Jun-juan
JJ
Shao
Thanh
T
Wang
Bin
B
He
Jian-bo
JB
Shi
Zhi-hong
ZH
Ye
Gui-bin
GB
Jiang
D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008906:Mining; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008628:Mercury
Accumulation; Methylmercury; Rice plants; Total mercury; Water soluble Hg