Effect of o-phenylenediamine on Cu adsorption and desorption in red soil and its uptake by paddy rice (Oryza sativa)

A study was carried out of Cu adsorption and desorption processes in red soil as affected by o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) in the range 0-80 mg/l. The results indicated that the presence of o-PD enhanced Cu adsorption in red soil in weakly acid media, meanwhile, desorption percentage of Cu from soil, extracted by 1.0 M MgCl(2), also increased when Cu adsorption in soil occurred in the presence of o-PD. The response of paddy rice to Cu in red soil shows that Cu toxicity was mitigated in the presence of o-PD and that the Cu concentration in rice straw decreased with increasing concentration of o-PD from 0 to 4.0 mmol/kg in soil. The fractions of background Cu in soil did not change noticeably in the presence of o-PD, whereas the effect of o-PD on the fractions of added Cu was significant. It was found that the exchangeable and carbonate bound Cu fractions decreased and the fraction of Cu bound to Fe-Mn oxides and organic matter increased with increasing o-PD concentration in soil when Cu was added at the same rate. Copper concentration in rice straw was significantly correlated with exchangeable Cu (r=0.961) and carbonate bound Cu (r=0.959) in soil. This result implicates that the behavior of Cu in soil is likely to be affected by organic pollutants containing amino groups.