The iron (Fe) (hydro)oxides deposited around rice roots play an important role in arsenic (As) sequestration in paddy soils, but there is no systematic study on the relative importance of Fe (hydro)oxides on root surface and in rhizosphere soil in limiting As bioavailability. Twenty-seven rice genotypes were selected to investigate effects of Fe (hydro)oxides on As uptake by rice in an alkaline paddy soil. Results indicated that the As content was positively correlated with the Fe content on root surface, and most of As (88-97%) was sequestered by poorly crystalline and crystalline Fe (hydro)oxides in the alkaline paddy soil. The As sequestration by Fe (hydro)oxides on root surface (IASroot 16.8-25.0 mg As/(g Fe)) was much higher than that in rhizosphere (IASrhizo 1.4-2.0 mg As/(g Fe)); therefore, in terms of As immobilization, the Fe (hydro)oxides on root surface were more important than that in rhizosphere. However, the As content in brown rice did not have significant correlation with the As content on root surface but was significantly correlated (R2 = 0.43, P < 0.05) with the partition ratio (PRAs = IASroot/IASrhizo) of As sequestration on root surface and in rhizosphere, which suggested that Fe (hydro)oxides on root surface did not play the controlling role in lowering As uptake, and the partition ratio PRAs would be a better indicator to evaluate effects of Fe (hydro)oxides around roots on As uptake by rice.
Keywords: Alkaline paddy soil; Arsenic; Iron (hydro)oxides; Rhizosphere soil; Rice; Root surface.