PLANT UPTAKE AND DETERMINATION OF ARSENIC SPECIES IN SOIL SOLUTION UNDER FLOODED CONDITIONS

Previous studies have not identified the different As species present in soil systems and determined if effective differences exist between As species with respect to plant parameters such as growth rate and As uptake. This study determined the species and concentrations of As present in soil solution of flooded soils and correlated them to As concentration, P concentration, and growth rate of plants grown in treated soils. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) was grown in two soils treated with 0, 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 mg As kg(-1) soil added as either Naarsenate or Na-arsenite. Soil solution samples and plant samples were collected over a period of 60 d. The As concentration of rice plants best correlated to the mean soil solution arsenate concentration in a Beaumont clay (fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Entic Pelludert) and to the mean soil solution arsenite concentration in a Midland silt loam (fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Typic Ochraqualf). in both soils, plant P concentration was best correlated to the amount of As added to the soil rather than any soil solution As concentration. Plant weight was best correlated to the mean soil solution arsenate concentration in both soils. The rate of As uptake by plants increased as the rate of plant growth increased. Plants grown in soils treated with As had higher rates of As uptake for similar rates of growth when compared with plants in untreated soils. However, growth per unit of As uptake was higher for plants in untreated soils than plants in As treated soils.