Evaluating a 'biotic ligand model' applied to chloride-enhanced Cd uptake by Brassica juncea from nutrient solution at constant Cd2+ activity.

Evidence of chloride-enhanced cadmium uptake by plants in soil experiments has been reported. However, it is still unclear whether this finding is due to increased rates of Cd2+ diffusion to plant roots or the direct uptake of complexes such as CdC1+. A controlled hydroponic experiment was undertaken to distinguish and quantify the uptake rates of free and inorganic-complexed cadmium and to model the uptake of cadmium by Indian mustard plants with a 'biotic ligand model'. Plants were treated with NaCl (0 to 200 mM) including equivalent Na2SO4 treatments. Cadmium speciation in solution was calculated using the WHAM-VI model. Results of the current trials showed that higher Cl-concentrations in solution generally resulted in greater cadmium accumulation by plants than predicted by the Cd2+ activity. Activities of Cd-chloro complexes showed the best correlations with the cadmium concentrations in the plants compared with the activity of Cd2+. The biotic ligand model showed a reasonable good fit for the plants when assuming competition by Cd2+ and CdCl+ for sorption sites at root level. The relative values of the two reaction constants suggest that root affinity for Cd2+ is 3.4 times greater than for CdCl+. Nevertheless this clearly indicates a substantial role for chloro-complexed cadmium accumulation.