Influence of aspartic acid and lysine on the uptake of gold nanoparticles in rice

The interactions between plants and nanomaterials (NMs) can shed light on the environmental consequences of nanotechnology. We used the major crop plant rice (Oryza sativa L.) to investigate the uptake of gold nano-particles (GNPs) coated with either negatively or positively charged ligands, over a 5-day period, in the absence or presence of one of two amino acids, aspartic acid (Asp) or lysine (Lys), acting as components of rice root exudates. The presence of Asp or Lys influenced the uptake and distribution of GNPs in rice, which depended on the electrical interaction between the coated GNPs and each amino acid. When the electrical charge of the amino acid was the same as that of the surface ligand coated onto the GNPs, the GNPs could disperse well in nutrient solution, resulting in increased uptake of GNPs into rice tissue. The opposite was true where the charge on the surface ligand was different from that on the amino acid, resulting in agglomeration and reduced Au uptake into rice tissue. The behavior of GNPs in the hydroponic nutrient solution was monitored in terms of agglomeration, particle size distribution, and surface charge in the presence and absence of Asp or Lys, which depended strongly on the electrostatic interaction. Results from this study indicated that the species of root exudates must be taken into account in assessing the bioavailability of nanomaterials to plants.