Work

Interaction Effects of Lead and Cadmium Concentrations on Heavy Metal Accumulation and Transport in Rice

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT The co‐contamination of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in paddy soil poses a significant threat to rice safety. While interactions between Cd and Pb are well‐documented, no prior study has systematically examined their tissue‐specific accumulation and transport dynamics across rice organs. Through pot experiments with varying Cd (1.14, 1.95, and 3.87 mg kg −1 ) and Pb (55.75, 105.71, and 244.59 mg kg −1 ) treatments, we demonstrate that Pb250 (244.59 mg kg −1 ) substantially enhanced Cd accumulation in all rice tissues. Notably, brown rice Cd reached 0.51 mg kg −1 under Cd2Pb250, exceeding China's safety limit (0.2 mg kg −1 ) by 155%. Root Cd content peaked at 51.02 mg kg −1 under Cd4Pb250, while Pb increased Cd transport in vascular tissues (internodes/nodes) by 54%. In contrast, Pb accumulation was concentrated in the roots (1125 mg kg −1 under Pb250) but remained below 0.15 mg kg −1 in grains. This study represents the first comprehensive quantification of Cd–Pb antagonism and synergism effects across 14 rice tissues, providing critical mechanistic insights into Pb's role in exacerbating Cd grain translocation and informing targeted remediation strategies for co‐contaminated paddies.

Source: CLEAN - Soil Air Water

DOI: 10.1002/clen.70104

Authors: Lang Yang, Baifei Huang, Xiaolin Kuang, Linsen Du, Junliang Xin

Institutions: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Hunan Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Heavy metals in environment

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province