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Rice Cultivation Reshapes Mercury Accumulation in Soil-Plant Systems
Wenli Tang1, Daiwen Zhu1,2, Qilong Zeng3
1School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Green Resource Recycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|March 26, 2026
Summary
Rice varieties influence methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation by altering soil mercury production and plant uptake. Rice plants regulate MeHg levels through root exudates, biomass, and grain amino acids, impacting human exposure risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biogeochemistry
- Plant Science
Background:
- Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in rice poses significant human health risks, especially for vulnerable populations.
- Understanding rice plant regulation of mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry is crucial for predicting MeHg accumulation.
- Current knowledge gaps exist regarding the plant-mediated processes influencing Hg dynamics in soil-rice systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of different rice varieties in methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which rice plants regulate Hg biogeochemistry in soil-rice systems.
- To identify plant traits associated with differential MeHg uptake and accumulation.
Main Methods:
- A pot experiment was conducted using 32 rice varieties under controlled soil and environmental conditions.
- MeHg concentrations were analyzed in rice plants and paddy soil.
- Amino acid profiles and antioxidant pigments in rice grains were characterized.
Main Results:
- Rice varieties significantly impacted soil MeHg production via root exudates and modulated MeHg uptake through plant biomass and grain amino acids.
- Specific amino acids and antioxidant pigments in rice regulated MeHg accumulation by inhibiting *in vivo* MeHg demethylation.
- Inhibition of demethylation reshaped tissue MeHg concentrations and translocation, with *in vivo* demethylation potentially sourcing grain inorganic Hg (IHg).
Conclusions:
- Rice plants play a critical, underappreciated role in Hg transformations and MeHg bioaccumulation.
- Plant traits, including root exudates and grain composition, are key determinants of MeHg accumulation in rice.
- Findings provide insights for mitigating MeHg exposure risks through cultivar selection and management practices.
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