Chemical forms of aluminum in xylem sap of tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

To identify the chemical forms of aluminum (Al) transported from roots to shoots of tea plants (C sinensis L.), Al-27-nuclear magnetic resonance and F-19 NMR spectroscopy were used to analyze xylem sap. The concentration of Al in collected xylem sap was 0.29 mM, twice as high as that of F. Catechins were not detected in xylem sap. The concentration of malic acid in xylem sap was higher than that of citric acid, whereas the concentration of oxalic acid was negligible. There were two signals in the Al-27 NMR spectra of xylem sap, a larger signal at 11 ppm and a smaller one at -1.5 ppm. The former signal was consistent with the peak for an Al-citrate model solution, suggesting that an Al-citrate complex was present in xylem sap. Although the latter signal at -1.5 ppm was thought to indicate the presence of an Al-F complex (at 1.7 ppm) in xylem sap, there was only one signal at -122 ppm in the F-19 NMR spectrum of xylem sap, indicating that the main F complex in xylem sap was F-. These results indicate that Al might be translocated as a complex with citrate, while Al-malate, Al-oxalate and Al-F complexes are not major Al complexes in xylem sap of tea plants. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.