[Influence of sulfur on the speciation transformation and phyto-availability of heavy metals in soil: a review].

The biogeochemical cycle of sulfur can directly affect the speciation transformation of heavy metals in soils and their accumulation in plants. The toxicity of heavy metals in plants can be alleviated by their complexation with sulfur compounds like phytochelatins or metallothiones, consisting of the major mechanisms of phytodetoxification. Sulfur deficiency is becoming one of the limiting factors that influence Chinese agricultural production.

[Research advances in uptake, translocation, accumulation and detoxification of Pb in plants].

Contamination of soils by lead (Pb) is of widespread occurrence because of the industrialization, urbanization, mining, and many other anthropogenic activities. It is urgent and necessary for scientists to uncover the mechanisms of uptake, translocation, accumulation and detoxification of Pb in plants for the following two reasons. First, it helps target and regulate the key process of Pb uptake by crops and vegetables and minimize the threat of Pb introduction to the food chain.

[Characteristics of distribution and chemical forms of Pb in tea plant varieties].

A hydroponics experiment combined with subcellular fractionation and sequential extraction was conducted to study the Pb concentration in different organs of two tea plant varieties (Longjing 43 and Yingshuang) and the Pb subcellular distribution and chemical forms in the roots of the varieties. Under Pb stress, the root system of the two varieties had different features in morphology. With the increasing concentration of Pb in culture solution, the Pb concentration in Longjing 43 young leaves increased, but that in Yingshuang' s had no significant variation.