Key factors influencing arsenic phytotoxicity thresholds in south China acidic soils

Arsenic (As) toxicity threshold values (TTVs) for plants are fundamental to both establishing regional As reference values in soil and performing risk assessment. However, TTVs vary with plant species and soil types. In this study, a hydroponic experiment with 16 plant species was conducted to screen the most As-sensitive plant species. The results showed that the EC(20) (available As concentration at which shoot biomass or height is inhibited by 20%) values were 1.38–104.4 mg L(−1) for shoot height and 0.24–42.87 mg L(−1) for shoot fresh biomass. Rice was more sensitive to As toxicity than the other species. Therefore, it was chosen as the ecological receptor in the pot experiment on As phytotoxicity in nine types of soils collected from Fujian Province in South China. The EC(10) and EC(20) with respect to rice shoot height were 3.72–29.11 mg kg(−1) and 7.12–45.60 mg kg(−1), respectively. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that free iron oxide concentration is the major factor that affects As bioavailability in soil, and EC(x) (x = 10, 20, and 50) of soil available As for shoot height was positively related to free iron oxide concentration in soil. In addition, soil cation exchange capacity, clay (<0.002 mm) content, and exchangeable magnesium content are also important factors influencing As phytotoxicity in acidic soils. The regression models can be used to predict As phytotoxicity in acidic soils.