CHARACTERIZATION OF CADMIUM UPTAKE BY ROOTS OF DURUM WHEAT PLANTS

Root Cd uptake of durum wheat plants (cv. Beloslava) was characterized in hydroponics conditions. The uptake experiments have been performed in Cd concentration range of 0 - 2 mu M adjusted by both stable Cd and radiolabeled (Cd-109) tracer. Cd removal from the solution over duration of 1 hour reached 50%. The part of loosely adsorbed Cd ions on root surface accounted for about 20%. Over 30% of absorbed Cd at 0.5 mu M Cd treatment was retained in root cell walls. The apparent root Cd accumulation showed concentration-dependant tendency with the highest accumulation value of 7.45 nmol Cd g FW-1.