Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2010, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (11): 1354-1358.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.11.013

• Review • Previous Articles    

A review of progress in roles of organic acids on heavy metal resistance and detoxification in plants

FU Xiao-Ping1, DOU Chang-Ming2, HU Shao-Ping2, CHEN Xin-Cai2, SHI Ji-Yan1,2, CHEN Ying-Xu1,2,*()   

  1. 1Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Non-point Source Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310029, China
    2Academy of Water Science & Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
  • Received:2010-04-27 Accepted:2010-07-05 Online:2010-04-27 Published:2010-10-31
  • Contact: CHEN Ying-Xu

Abstract:

Mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance and detoxification in plants can be divided into two categories, external exclusion and internal tolerance. We reviewed the effects of organic acids as a kind of metal chelators in both processes in plants. In the external detoxification process, organic acids excreted from plant roots may form stable metal-ligand complexes with heavy metal ions and change their mobility and bioavailability, thus preventing the metal ions entering plants or avoiding their accumulation in the sensitive sites of roots. In internal metal detoxification, organic acids may chelate with heavy metal in cytosol, where the ions can be transformed into a non-toxic or less toxic form.

Key words: detoxification, external exclusion, heavy metal, resistance, internal tolerance, organic acids