Rhizosphere interactions between copper oxide nanoparticles and wheat root exudates in a sand matrix: Influences on copper bioavailability and uptake

The impact of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) on crop production is dependent on the biogeochemistry of Cu in the rooting zone of the plant. The present study addressed the metabolites in wheat root exudates that increased dissolution of CuONPs and whether solubility correlated with Cu uptake into the plant. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Dolores) was grown for 10 d with 0 to 300 mg Cu/kg as CuONPs in sand, a matrix deficient in Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu for optimum plant growth. Increased NP doses enhanced root exudation, including the Cu‐complexing phytosiderophore, 2′‐deoxymugineic acid (DMA), and corresponded to greater dissolution of the CuONPs. Toxicity, observed as reduced root elongation, was attributable to a combination of CuONPs and dissolved Cu complexes. Geochemical modeling predicted that the majority of the solution phase Cu was complexed with citrate at low dosing or DMA at higher dosing. Altered biogeochemistry within the rhizosphere correlated with bio‐responses via exudate type, quantity, and metal uptake. Exposure of wheat to CuONPs led to dose‐dependent decreases in Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, and K in roots and shoots. The present study is relevant to growth of a commercially important crop, wheat, in the presence of CuONPs as a fertilizer, fungicide, or pollutant. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2619–2632. © 2018 SETAC