Release of potassium accompanying the dissolution of rice straw phytolith
In rice, Si assimilated from the soil solution is deposited in inter- and intracellular spaces throughout the leaf and stems to form silicified structures (so-called phytoliths). Because K is also present in significant concentrations in rice stems and leaves, the question arises if K is immobilized in the mineralized silica during the precipitation of Si. This work determined whether desilification of the phytolith is a factor regulating K release by implementing batch experiments. Solubility of Si and K of the rice straw heated at different temperatures were examined to identify effect of pretreatment. Analyses of phytoliths using SEM-EDX and X-ray tomographic microscopy in conjunction with the results from batch experiments revealed that K might co-exist with occluded organic matter inside the phytolith structure. In the kinetic experiments, corresponding increases of K and Si concentrations in the supernatants were observed which suggested that desilification of th...