FACTORS AFFECTING ALUMINUM SORPTION BY CALCIUM PECTATE

Extracellular processes, particularly the adsorption of aluminium (Al) by pectate in the cell wall, have been proposed as important in the e xpression of Al toxicity to plant roots. In vitro studies were conduct ed on the effects of Al concentration (generally less-than-or-equal-to 32 muM), calcium (Ca) concentration (0.05 to 10 mM) and PH (3.2 to 5. 4) on Al sorption by Ca pectate. There was a rapid reaction between Al and Ca pectate, there being no difference in Al remaining in solution after reaction times of 1 to 16 min, and only a slight decrease after 24 h. Increased Al concentration in solution increased linearly the s orption of Al by Ca pectate, with 70 to 84% of the Al originally in so lution sorbed with less-than-or-equal-to 32 muM Al. In contrast, Al so rption decreased with increased Ca concentration in solution, and as p H decreased from 5.4 to 3.2. Only less-than-or-equal-to 30% of the sor bed Al was desorbed after 1 h by 1 mM CaCl2, 10 mM CaCl2 or 1 mM HCl. The amount of Al desorbed increased with a desorption period of 5 h, p articularly with 1 mM HCl. These studies suggest that Al sorbed by Ca pectate in root cell walls is in equilibrium with Al in solution, and that Al toxicity is associated with the strong binding between Al and Ca pectate external to the cytoplasm.