Plant uptake and transport models for neutral and ionic chemicals

BACKGROUND: Models for predicting uptake and transport of chemicals in plants are applied in pesticide design, risk assessment, and environmental biotechnology. OBJECTIVE: This review considers the theoretical basics of the most popular models, and discusses what they have in common. The line is drawn between models for neutral compounds, and models for weak and strong electrolytes. MAIN FEATURES: Neutral Compounds. Neutral compounds undergo only very few processes inside plants (lipophilic interactions, metabolism), in contrast to weak electrolytes. The models developed for neutral compounds are widely applied in the risk assessment of environmental contaminants, but are not of much use for weak electrolytes, such as pesticides. Weak electrolytes. A very important process for weak electrolytes is the 'ion trap', which traps chemicals that dissociate inside plant cells. This is considered in the popular models of Kleier, Satchivi and Briggs. Other relevant processes for electrolytes are electrophilic interactions, speciation and complex formation. None of the currently used models considers these processes. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of models for neutral compounds is satisfactory, but the prediction of electrolyte behavior inside plants is still quite difficult due to gaps in knowledge.     

Alterations in the Levels of Ions in Blood and Liver of Freshwater Fish, Cyprinus carpio var. communis Exposed to Dimethoate

The fingerlings of Cyprinus carpio var. communis were exposed to sublethal concentration of dimethoate for 7, 14 days to evaluate the impact of the pesticide dimethoate on different ions namely sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium. The blood potassium, calcium, magnesium and liver chloride and magnesium levels were elevated under sublethal condition. The blood sodium, chloride and liver sodium, potassium, and calcium levels were found to be significantly decreased.