Organic acids, such as malate, citrate and oxalate, have been proposed to be involved in many processes operating in the rhizosphere, including nutrient acquisition and metal detoxification, alleviation of anaerobic stress in roots, mineral weathering and pathogen attraction. A full assessment of their role in these processes, however, cannot be determined unless the exact mechanisms of plant organic acid release and the fate of these compounds in the soil are more fully understood. This review therefore includes information on organic acid levels in plants (concentrations, compartmentalisation, spatial aspects, synthesis), plant efflux (passive versus active transport, theoretical versus experimental considerations), soil reactions (soil solution concentrations, sorption) and microbial considerations (mineralization). In summary, the release of organic acids from roots can operate by multiple mechanisms in response to a number of well-defined environmental stresses (e.g., Al, P and Fe stress, anoxia): These responses, however, are highly stress- and plant-species specific. In addition, this review indicates that the sorption of organic acids to the mineral phase and mineralisation by the soil's microbial biomass are critical to determining the effectiveness of organic acids in most rhizosphere processes.

Organic acids in the rhizosphere: a critical review

Geomycology: biogeochemical transformations of rocks, minerals, metals and radionuclides by fungi, bioweathering and bioremediation

Accumulation of Cadmium in Crop Plants and Its Consequences to Human Health

http://library.um.ac.id/free-contents/downloadpdf.php/buku/complexation-reactions-in-aquatic-systems-an-analytical-approach-j-buffle-translators-s-p-kounaves-a-kounaves-and-r-s-altman-12623.pdf

Complexation reactions in aquatic systems : an analytical approach / J. Buffle, translators S.P. Kounaves, A. Kounaves and R.S. Altman

http://envismadrasuniv.org/Microbes%20and%20Radionuclide%20Pollution/pdf/Microbial%20influence%20on%20metal%20mobility.pdf

Microbial influence on metal mobility and application for bioremediation

THE presence of synthetic and naturally occurring chelating agents in nuclear and toxic-metal wastes is a major concern because of their potential to enhance mobilization of metal ions away from the disposal sites1–3. Of particular interest is citric acid, which is present in low-level and transuranic radioactive wastes4,5 and in domestic and industrial wastes (as washing fluids, for instance), as well as being found naturally. Citrate ions form multidentate, stable complexes with a variety of toxic metals and radionuclides; but biodegradation of these complexes, precipitating the metal ions as insoluble hydroxides, oxides or other salts, may retard migration. Here we report a study of the biodegradation of citrate complexes of Ca, Fe(n), Fe(m), Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and U. Several of these complexes were not readily degraded by bacteria, and the biodegradability depended on the chemical nature of the complex, not on the toxicity of the metal to the bacteria. This resistance to biodegradation implies that citrate complexation may play an important part in migration of these hazardous wastes.

Biodegradation of metal citrate complexes and implications for toxic-metal mobility

Decontamination of metal surfaces contaminated with low levels of radionuclides is a major concern at Department of Energy facilities. The development of an environmentally friendly and cost-effective decontamination process requires an understanding of their association with the corroding surfaces. We investigated the association of uranium with the amorphous and crystalline forms of iron oxides commonly formed on corroding steel surfaces. Uranium was incorporated with the oxide by addition during the formation of ferrihydrite, goethite, green rust II, lepidocrocite, maghemite, and magnetite. X-ray diffraction confirmed the mineralogical form of the oxide. EXAFS analysis at the U L(III) edge showed that uranium was present in hexavalent form as a uranyl oxyhydroxide species with goethite, maghemite, and magnetite and as a bidentate inner-sphere complex with ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite. Iron was present in the ferric form with ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite, and maghemite; whereas with magnetite and green rust II, both ferrous and ferric forms were present with characteristic ferrous:total iron ratios of 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. In the presence of the uranyl ion, green rust II was converted to magnetite with concomitantreduction of uranium to its tetravalent form. The rate and extent of uranium dissolution in dilute HCl depended on its association with the oxide: uranium present as oxyhydroxide species underwent rapid dissolution followed by a slow dissolution of iron; whereas uranium present as an inner-sphere complex with iron resulted in concomitant dissolution of the uranium and iron.

Association of uranium with iron oxides typically formed on corroding steel surfaces

We determined the association of uranium with bacteria isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), Carlsbad, New Mexico, and compared this with known strains of halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria and archaea. Examination of the cultures by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed uranium accumulation extracellularly and/or intracellularly to a varying degree. In Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis uranium was associated with the cell surface and in the latter it was present as irregularly shaped grains. In Halobacterium halobium, the only archeon studied here, uranium was present as dense deposits and with Haloanaerobium praevalens as spikey deposits. Halomonas sp. isolated from the WIPP site accumulated uranium both extracellularly on the cell surface and intracellularly as electron-dense discrete granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of uranium with the halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria and archaea showed that the uranium present in whole cells was bonded to an average of 2.4′0.7 phosphoryl groups at a distance of 3.65′0.03 A. Comparison of whole cells of Halomonas sp. with the cell wall fragments of lysed cells showed the presence of a uranium bidentate complex at 2.91′0.03 A with the carboxylate group on the cell wall, and uranyl hydroxide with U-U interaction at 3.71′0.03 A due to adsorption or precipitation reactions; no U-P interaction was observed. Addition of uranium to the cell lysate of Halomonas sp. resulted in the precipitation of uranium due to the inorganic phosphate produced by the cells. These results show that the phosphates released from bacteria bind a significant amount of uranium. However, the bacterially immobilized uranium was readily solubilized by bicarbonate with concurrent release of phosphate into solution.

Uranium Association with Halophilic and Non-halophilic Bacteria and Archaea

http://xrm.phys.northwestern.edu/research/pdf_papers/2005/lerotic_jesrp_2005.pdf

J.B. Gillow

Papers

Biodegradation of metal citrate complexes and implications for toxic-metal mobility

Association of uranium with iron oxides typically formed on corroding steel surfaces

Uranium Association with Halophilic and Non-halophilic Bacteria and Archaea

Cluster analysis in soft X-ray spectromicroscopy : Finding the patterns in complex specimens

Isolation and characterization of extracellular polysaccharides produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens Biovar II