Ni Uptake Rate Research Articles

Differential effects of iron starvation and iron excess on nickel uptake kinetics in two Iranian nickel hyperaccumulators, Odontarrhena bracteata and Odontarrhena inflata

To characterize Ni hyperaccumulation mechanisms in naturally Ni-hyperaccumulating Odontarrhena species, Ni uptake kinetics, and the effect of Fe starvation and Fe or Zn excess thereon, were investigated in the Iranian serpentine endemics O. bracteata (one population) and O. inflata (two populations). Plants were exposed to a series of Ni concentrations for 4 h, and Ni uptake rates were plotted against the Ni concentration in the solution. Kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax, were calculated from Lineweaver-Burke plots. Ni uptake consistently showed Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Under normal Fe supply the Km was not significantly different between species or populations, however, the Vmax was 3-fold higher in O. bracteata and O. inflata from Baneh than in O. inflata from Marivan. The rate of Ni translocation to the shoot was similar in all of the species/populations. Fe starvation (1 wk) significantly increased the Vmax for Ni uptake in O. bracteata, but not in O. inflata, and a very similar increase in Fe uptake capacity in all the species/populations. Fe excess in the nutrient solution significantly increased the Km for Ni uptake in O. bracteata, but not in O. inflata. Zn excess in the nutrient solution (300 μM) marginally inhibited Ni uptake in O. inflata, but not in O. bracteata. Ni uptake seems to proceed via a Fe deficiency-inducible Fe transporter in O. bracteata, but not in O. inflata. Ni root-to-shoot translocation seems to be mediated by a Fe deficiency-inducible Fe translocation mechanism in all of the species/populations.

Reproductive impacts and physiological adaptations of zebrafish to elevated dietary nickel

Nickel (Ni) concentrations in the environment can rise due to human industrial activities. The toxicity of waterborne Ni to aquatic animals has been examined in a number of previous studies; however, little is known about the impacts of elevated dietary Ni. In the present study, zebrafish were chronically fed diets containing two concentrations of Ni [3.7 (control) and 116μg Ni/g diet]. Ni-exposed males, but not females, were significantly smaller (26%) compared to controls at 80days. In addition, total egg production was decreased by 65% in the Ni treatment at 75–78days of the experiment. Ni was ubiquitously distributed in control animals (similar to previous studies), and concentrations varied between tissues by 15-fold. Ni exposure resulted in modest but significant Ni accumulation in some tissues (increases were highest in brain, vertebrae and gut; 44%, 34% and 25%, respectively), an effect observed only at 80days. The limited Ni accumulation may be due to (1) the lack of an acidified stomach in zebrafish and/or (2) the efficient upregulation of Ni transport and excretion mechanisms, as indicated by the 4.5-fold increase in waterborne 63Ni uptake by Ni-exposed fish. Eggs from Ni-exposed adults had Ni concentrations that were 5.2-fold higher than controls. However, by 4days post fertilization, larvae had similar Ni concentrations as controls, demonstrating a capacity for rapid Ni depuration. Larvae from Ni-exposed adults were also more resistant to waterborne Ni (35% increase in the 96-h LC50 over controls). In conclusion, elevated dietary Ni significantly affected zebrafish reproduction despite only modest tissue Ni accumulation. There were also indications of adaptation, including increased Ni uptake rates and increased Ni tolerance of offspring from Ni-exposed adults. Ni concentrations were particularly elevated in the brain with exposure; possible relations to growth and reproductive impacts require further study.

Bioaccumulation of waterborne Ni in Dreissena polymorpha: A stable isotope experiment to assess the effect of zinc, calcium, and dissolved organic matter

The effect of Ca, Zn, and dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) on waterborne Ni accumulation was investigated in a freshwater mussel. An enriched stable metal isotope tracer was required to measure the Ni uptake rate accurately. Zebra mussels were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of (62) Ni (from 0.5 to 8 µg/L) for 48 h in media spiked with Ca, Zn, or dissolved NOM. The (62)Ni uptake was inhibited by Ca (from 0.138 ± 0.021 to 0.061 ± 0.010 L/g/d for Ca concentrations ranging from 43 to 133 mg/L) and enhanced by Zn (from 0.051 ± 0.006 to 0.109 ± 0.007 L/g/d for Zn concentrations ranging from 6.6 to 38.3 µg/L). The mechanisms behind the synergistic effect of Zn remain unclear, yet it can be hypothesized that Ni uptake is facilitated by Zn-dependent transport sites. To formalize the effects of Ca and Zn, a model was proposed to express the Ni uptake rate as a function of the mussels' filtration rate and of Ca and Zn concentrations. The (62)Ni uptake increased at low NOM concentrations and decreased at higher concentrations. This could be explained by the influence of NOM on both the speciation of Ni and the filtration activity of mussels. At high NOM concentrations, a modification of the membrane's permeability might also have favored Ni uptake, although this was not clearly established in this study. Therefore, the effect of water composition on Ni bioavailability to zebra mussels cannot be predicted by competition and complexation models alone, because it also influences the animal's physiology.

Nickel utilization in phytoplankton assemblages from contrasting oceanic regimes

In most oceanic environments, dissolved nickel (Ni) concentrations are drawn down in surface waters with increasing concentrations at depth, implying a role for biology in the geochemical distribution of Ni. Studies with phytoplankton isolates from the surface ocean have established the biochemical roles of Ni in the assimilation of urea and oxidative defense. To determine if these requirements are relevant in natural marine planktonic assemblages, bottle-based fertilization experiments were used to test the effects of low-level additions of Ni, urea, or both Ni and urea to surface waters at several locations offshore of Peru and California, as well as in the Gulf of California. Urea and Ni+urea additions consistently promoted phytoplankton growth relative to control and +Ni treatments, except in a coastal upwelling site and Peruvian water. No effect was observed in the upwelling site, but in Peruvian waters urea additions resulted in increased phytoplankton pigments and phosphate drawdown only when Ni was added concurrently, suggesting a biochemically dependent Ni–urea colimitation. In the Gulf of California, Ni additions without urea resulted in increased abundances of cyanobacteria, picoeukaryotes, and the corresponding pigments. As urea additions showed the overall phytoplankton community was also urea-limited, it appears that the cyanobacteria and potentially the picoeukaryotes were colimited by Ni and urea in a biochemically independent fashion. In parallel, radiotracer-based uptake experiments were used to study the kinetics and spatial variation of biological Ni assimilation. In these experiments, the added radiotracer rarely equilibrated with the natural Ni present, precluding estimates a determination of in situ Ni uptake rates and suggesting that much of the natural Ni was not bioavailable. The lack of equilibration likely did not preclude the measurement of community Ni uptake kinetics, nor the comparison of measured rates between locations. The highest V max K ρ −1 values, which reflect a competitive advantage in Ni acquisition at low concentrations, were observed in stratified nitrogen-deplete communities, potentially linking Ni and nitrogen biogeochemistry in a manner consistent with the biochemical utilization of Ni. Overall, uptake rates were higher in the euphotic rather than non-euphotic zone communities, directly reconciling the nutrient-like depth profile of Ni. The Ni uptake rates observed at the nitrate-replete Fe-deplete Peru stations were an order of magnitude lower than the other sites. This result agrees with calculations suggesting that saturation of the cell surface with Ni and iron (Fe) transporters may limit uptake rates in low Fe waters.

Effects of Na, Ca, and pH on the Simultaneous Uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the Zebrafish Danio rerio: A Stable Isotope Experiment

Concentrations of major cations in the medium play an important role in metal accumulation process. Variations in Ca, Na concentrations and pH of the medium had pronounced effects on metal uptake in zebrafish simultaneously exposed to five metals at environmentally realistic concentrations. Largest effects were found in gills (the whole body for Ni). A high level of Zn homeostatic regulation was observed. Addition of 0.1-2.5 mM Ca2+ to the medium had a suppressing effect on Cd uptake. The highest Cu, Pb and the lowest Ni uptake rates were observed atthe middle 0.5 mM Ca concentration. Increase in Na concentrations from 0.5 to 8 mM decreased Cd and increased Ni uptake rates in gills. Both low and high Na concentrations in water had a suppressing effect on Pb uptake. Increase in the pH of the medium promoted Cd and Ni uptakes. Cu and Pb, in turn, exhibited highest uptakes at neutral conditions compared to acidic and alkaline pH due to changes in Cu and Pb speciation. The fact that such changes in metal uptakes occur at low, environmentally relevant concentrations, emphasizes the need for further studies of bioaccumulation and toxicity processes.

Multimetal Interactions between Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn Uptake from Water in the Zebrafish Danio rerio

The uptake of essential (Cu, Ni, and Zn) and nonessential (Cd and Pb) metals in the gills and whole body of zebrafish exposed to a mixture of trace elements at environmentally relevant concentrations was investigated using a stable isotope technique. Negative and positive interactions as well as nonlinear responses were observed. The Cd and Pb uptake processes were influenced the most by other metals. The uptake of Cd was inhibited by Cu, Pb, and Zn and enhanced in the presence of Ni at concentrations above 0.1 microM. Pb uptake rates were consistently increasing in the presence of Cd, Ni, and Zn in both gills and the whole body, except in one case of decreased whole body Pb uptake in the presence of Cd. The addition of Cu resulted in more complex nonlinear variations in Pb uptake rates. The addition of Pb, in turn, facilitated Cu uptake with a more pronounced effect in the gills, while Zn had a stimulating effect on the whole body level. Uptake of Ni continuously decreased with the addition of Zn, and some decline in whole body Ni accumulation was observed in the presence of Cd. In contrast Cu increased the Ni uptake rates in both gills and the whole body. The results demonstrate the complexity of the uptake processes occurring in media containing a mixture of metals at environmentally relevant concentrations. These interactions may be of key significance in understanding and predicting metal uptake, accumulation, and toxicity in multimetal exposure scenarios.

Effect of Na, Ca and pH on simultaneous uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the water flea Daphnia magna measured using stable isotopes

The present study investigates the effects of Na +, Ca 2+ and pH on the kinetics of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn uptake in Daphnia magna at low exposure concentrations measured using a stable isotope technique. Using experimental data the uptake rate constants were calculated for each metal individually on the basis of total metal concentrations. The copper uptake was not significantly affected by variations in chemical composition of the test medium. Calcium had a suppressing effect on the uptake of Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn. Specifically, Cd and Ni uptake rate constants decreased with increases in calcium concentrations from 0.1 to 2.5 mM. The uptake of Zn and Pb was significantly suppressed only at 2.5 mM Ca. The effect of sodium was less clear. There was no effect of varying sodium concentrations on the Ni uptake rate constants. Cd and Pb showed an increase in uptake rate constants at elevated sodium concentrations (2–8 mM Na + for Cd and 8 mM Na + for Pb). A bell-shaped response on increasing Na + concentrations was observed for Zn with a maximum value of uptake rate constant at the middle value (2 mM Na +). Variation in pH of the medium affected Cd, Ni and Zn uptake processes. When Daphnia were exposed to acidic conditions (pH 6), the Cd and Ni uptake rate constants were the highest, while similarly low values were observed at neutral and basic conditions. In contrast, the uptake rates of Zn were linearly increasing with increasing pH of the medium.

Predicting Dietborne Metal Toxicity from Metal Influxes

Dietborne metal uptake prevails for many species in nature. However, the links between dietary metal exposure and toxicity are not well understood. Sources of uncertainty include the lack of suitable tracers to quantify exposure for metals such as copper, the difficulty to assess dietary processes such as food ingestion rate, and the complexity to link metal bioaccumulation and effects. We characterized dietborne copper, nickel, and cadmium influxes in a freshwater gastropod exposed to diatoms labeled with enriched stable metal isotopes. Metal influxes in Lymnaea stagnalis correlated linearly with dietborne metal concentrations over a range encompassing most environmental exposures. Dietary Cd and Ni uptake rate constants (k(uf)) were, respectively, 3.3 and 2.3 times higher than thatfor Cu. Detoxification rate constants (k(detox)) were similar among metals and appeared 100 times higher than efflux rate constants (K(e)). Extremely high Cu concentrations reduced feeding rates, causing the relationship between exposure and influx to deviate from linearity, i.e., Cu uptake rates leveled off between 1500 and 1800 nmol g(-1) day(-1). L. stagnalis rapidly takes up Cu, Cd, and Ni from food but detoxifies the accumulated metals, instead of reducing uptake or intensifying excretion. Above a threshold uptake rate, however, the detoxification capabilities of L. stagnalis are overwhelmed.

Ni Uptake and Limitation in MarineSynechococcusStrains

Ni accumulation and utilization were studied in two strains of marine Synechococcus, isolated from both coastal (CC9311; clade I) and open-ocean (WH8102; clade III) environments, for which complete genome sequences are available. Both strains have genes encoding an Ni-containing urease and when grown on urea without Ni become Ni-N colimited. The Ni requirements of these strains also depend upon the genomic complement of genes encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD). WH8102, with a gene encoding only an Ni-SOD, has a novel obligate requirement for Ni, regardless of the N source. Reduced SOD activity in Ni-depleted cultures of WH8102 supports the link of this strain's Ni requirement to Ni-SOD. The genome of CC9311 contains a gene for a Cu/Zn-SOD in addition to a predicted pair of Ni-SODs, yet this strain cannot grow without Ni on NO(3)(-) and can grow only slowly on NH(4)(+) without Ni, implying that the Cu/Zn-SOD cannot completely replace Ni-SOD in marine cyanobacteria. CC9311 does have a greater tolerance for Ni starvation. Both strains increase their Ni uptake capabilities and actively bioconcentrate Ni in response to decreasing extracellular and intracellular Ni. The changes in Ni uptake rates were more pronounced in WH8102 than in CC9311 and for growth on urea or nitrate than for growth on ammonia. These results, combined with an analysis of fully sequenced marine cyanobacterial genomes, suggest that the growth of many marine Synechococcus and all Prochlorococcus strains is dependent upon Ni.

Effects of a long-term heavy-metal pollution on Scots pine forests

The major source of Cu and Ni emissions in Finland is a Cu-Ni smelter at Harjavalta. The mean, 10-year Cu:Ni ratio of emissions derived from smelting activities is about 3:1. However, the corresponding ratio in the organic layer in an adjacent Scots pine stand is 12:1, suggesting that Cu is retained more efficiently than Ni in the surface soil. The experimentally estimated rate of Cu uptake by the roots of pine seedlings cultivated in smelter-polluted soil was higher than the corresponding Ni uptake rate, but Ni transport from the roots to the shoot was more efficient than that of Cu. This is in agreement with an exposure experiment in which the lethal metal threshold in pine roots was found to be much lower for Ni (less than 100 mg kg -1 ) than for Cu (less than 1000 mg kg -1 ). The overall metal uptake rates of the pine seedlings were relatively low and had no reducing effect on the metal concentrations in the soil.

Neoformation of Ni phyllosilicate upon Ni uptake on montmorillonite: A kinetics study by powder and polarized extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Wet chemistry kinetics and powder and polarized extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS and P-EXAFS) spectroscopy were combined to investigate the mechanism of Ni uptake on montmorillonite, at pH 8, high ionic strength (0.2 M Ca(NO 3) 2), initial Ni concentration of 660 μM, and solid concentration of 5.3 g/L. Approximately 20% of Ni sorbed within the first 24 h; thereafter, the Ni uptake rate slowed, and 12% of the initial Ni concentration remained in solution after 206 d of reaction time. Powder EXAFS spectra collected on wet pastes at 1, 14, 90, and 206 d showed the presence of Ni-Ni pairs at ∼3.08 Å in an amount that gradually increased with time. Results were interpreted by the nucleation of a Ni phase having either an α-Ni-hydroxide– or a Ni-phyllosilicate–like local structure. The latter possibility was confirmed by recording P-EXAFS spectra of a highly textured, self-supporting montmorillonite film prepared in the same conditions as the wet samples and equilibrated for 14 d. The orientation distribution of the c*-axes of individual clay particles off the film plane, as measured by quantitative texture analysis, was 32.8° full width at half maximum, and this value was used to correct from texture effect the effective numbers of Ni and Si nearest neighbors determined by P-EXAFS. Ni atoms were found to be surrounded by 2.6 ± 0.5 Ni atoms at 3.08 Å in the in-plane direction and by 4.2 ± 0.5 Si atoms at 3.26 Å in the out-of-plane direction. These structural parameters, but also the orientation and angular dependence of the Ni and Si shells, strongly support the formation of a Ni phyllosilicate having its layers parallel to the montmorillonite layers. The neoformation of a phyllosilicate on metal uptake on montmorillonite, documented herein for the first time, has important geochemical implications because this dioctahedral smectite is overwhelmingly present in the environment. The resulting sequestration of sorbed trace metals in sparingly soluble phyllosilicate structure may durably decrease their migration and bioavailability at the Earth’s surface and near surface.