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Agricultural industry

Citric Acid Optimizes Lead Phytoextraction in Mung Bean

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad has shed light on the potential of citric acid to remediate lead-contaminated soil. A study published in the Phyton-international Journal of Experimental Botany details the impact of citric acid and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) on chelate-assisted phytoextraction of lead and its effect on the growth and physiology of two mung bean cultivars. The research found that citric acid not only increased the accumulation of lead in plant parts but also mitigated its toxic effects on the growth of mung bean cultivars.

Key Takeaways:

  • The low efficiency of phytoextraction of lead from agricultural fields poses a significant agricultural challenge.
  • Citric acid can influence lead bioavailability in soil, affecting its uptake, transport, and toxicity in plants.
  • The application of citric acid demonstrated significant potential as a chelating agent for remediating lead-contaminated soil.
  • The study involved exposing mung bean cultivars to 60 mg/L lead chloride solution with or without the addition of citric acid or DTPA.
  • The addition of citric acid and DTPA increased the accumulation of lead in plant parts of mung bean cultivars by 10.8% to 21.5%.
  • Citric acid mitigated the toxic effects of lead on the growth of mung bean cultivars, while DTPA had adverse effects.
  • Citric acid improved the photosynthetic capacity of mung bean cultivars, likely associated with photosynthetic metabolic factors.
  • The cultivar cv 07002 was found to be more tolerant to lead stress and showed better performance in citric acid application.

Statistics:

  • 49% of control Pb accumulation was observed in roots.
  • 58% of control Pb accumulation was observed in stems.
  • 67% of control Pb accumulation was observed in leaves.
  • 61% of control Pb accumulation was observed in seeds.
  • The addition of citric acid increased Pb accumulation in plant parts of mung bean cultivars by 10.8% to 21.5%.
  • The addition of citric acid improved the photosynthetic pigments by 11% to 14%.
  • The addition of citric acid improved the photosynthetic rate by 5% to 12%.
  • CV 07002 was found to be more tolerant to Pb stress and showed better performance in citric acid application.

Sources:

  • Phyton-international Journal of Experimental Botany. 2025. "Citric Acid Optimizes Lead (Pb) Phytoextraction In Mung Bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) By Regulating Nutrient Uptake and Photosynthesis."
  • NewsRx. 2025. "Researchers from University of Agriculture Faisalabad Detail New Studies and Findings in the Area of Agriculture [Citric Acid Optimizes Lead (Pb) Phytoextraction In Mung Bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) By Regulating Nutrient ...]." Agriculture Week. August 14, 2025; p 3318.

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