Arsenic Uptake and Translocation in Plants
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Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Measuring Fluxes of Mineral Nutrients and Toxicants in Plants with Radioactive Tracers
Published on: August 22, 2014
Nannan Li1, Jingchao Wang1, Won-Yong Song2
1Research Center of Bioenergy and Bioremediation RCBB, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Beibei Dist., Chongqing, 400715, PR China songwy@postech.ac.kr linannan2013@swu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Arsenic (As) is a highly toxic metalloid that is classified as a non-threshold class-1 carcinogen. Millions of people worldwide suffer from As toxicity due to the intake of As-contaminated drinking water and food. Reducing the As concentration in drinking water and food is thus of critical importance. Phytoremediation of soil contaminated with As and the reduction of As contamination in food depend on a detailed understanding of As uptake and transport in plants. As transporters play essential roles in As uptake, translocation and accumulation in plant cells. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of As transport in plants, with an emphasis on As uptake, mechanisms of As resistance and the long-distance translocation of As, especially the accumulation of As in grains through phloem-mediated transport.
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