HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stimler, K. Articles by Chefetz, B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Stimler, K. Articles by Chefetz, B. Agricola Articles by Stimler, K. Articles by Chefetz, B. Related Collections Sorption/Exchange Plant and Soil Interactions Soil Organic Matter

Soil Chemistry

Transformation of Plant Cuticles in Soil

Effect on their Sorptive Capabilities

^a Dep. of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
^b Dep. of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003

^* Corresponding author (chefetz{at}agri.huji.ac.il)

Plant cuticular materials play an important role in sorption of polar and nonpolar pollutants in soils. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of decomposition and transformation of plant cuticles on their sorption behavior with triazine herbicides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sorption–desorption behavior was studied during 12 mo of incubation of cuticles isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits and pummelo [Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.] leaves in sandy soil. Sorption and desorption experiments and spectroscopic and chemical analyses were performed on the samples after 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo of incubation. The decomposition of the cuticles (46–49% after 12 mo) did not affect the organic-C-normalized Freundlich capacity coefficient (K_FOC) for the PAHs. In addition, throughout the incubation period, the two PAHs exhibited linear and reversible sorption isotherms with both cuticles. The isotherms of the triazines were significantly affected by the decomposition of the cuticles from pummelo leaves, whereas only minor changes were recorded for the tomato cuticle samples. For the microcosm with cuticles from the pummelo leaves, the K_FOC values of the triazines increased with increasing decomposition. Preferential degradation of pectin and cutin probably facilitated the interaction between the triazines and the residual cutan and more condensed cutin moieties. Our data suggest that both cutin and cutan play important roles in the sorption of polar and highly nonpolar and aromatic compounds in soils; however, with decomposition, the more condensed structure of the cutin and mainly the cutan biopolymer govern sorption of the cuticle residues.

Abbreviations: HOC, hydrophobic organic compound • K_d, distribution coefficient • K_F, Freundlich capacity coefficient • NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance • PAH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon • SOM, soil organic matter

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Lattao, J. Birdwell, J. J. Wang, and R. L. Cook Studying Organic Matter Molecular Assemblage within a Whole Organic Soil by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance J. Environ. Qual., June 23, 2008; 37(4): 1501 - 1509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]