Usage of Si, P, Se, and Ca Decrease Arsenic Concentration/Toxicity in Rice, a Review

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

1) Check the titles in sections 1.3 and 1.4.

2) Line 49. The word "arsenic bioavailability" is reported many times in the text. However, the meaning of that could be unclear to the readers. Please, clarify. Also, a subsection reporting the methods the evaluate arsenic bioavailability should be included in the manuscript. 

3) Line 92. The percentage of adsorptions should be summarized for each technique in a table reporting the various references. This table should be subsequently quoted in the text.

4) Lines 187-190. About Langmuir's and Freundlich's isotherms, you should explain better the meaning of that. Indeed, each model has parameters and indicates different adsorption-desorption mechanisms. A table could also be added by including the equations and the average values found in the literature. Also, what about pseudo-first and second-order kinetics? Please, improve this aspect.

5) I would suggest preparing a figure which includes the routes that can decrease arsenic toxicity through Si, P, Se, and Ca applications.

Author Response

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you so much for your helpful comments.

• Titles in sections 1.3 and 1.4 were modified.
• The meaning of “arsenic bioavailability” was added (The amount of arsenic absorption is such that it can enter the rice and affect rice growth), and at the end of part 1. one way to find arsenic bioavailability and one way to find arsenic concentration was added.
• A Fig was added to explain better the effect of adding Si on As concentration.
• Different between Langmuir’s and Freundlich’s isotherms was added in parenthesis, and a table was added.
• Mechanisms of arsenic uptake, transport, accumulation, and distribution in rice were added as a Figure

 

Thanks again

 Best regards

 M.Boorboori

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The literature review is wide reaching. I would have thought that more information concerning the affect of pH would have been included. The affect of pH may have been used as a tool for comparison of methods. 

There is the need for a strong concluding paragraph rather than just a suggestion as to where this research might lead to in the future. 

Author Response

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you so much for your helpful comments.

• The grammar of the manuscript was checked and as much as was possible modified.
• The introduction tried to add more details about heavy metals and metalloids and their effect on crops.
• The conclusion was rewritten

            

Thanks again

 Best regards

 M.Boorboori

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The work presented by the authors reviews the interaction of arsenic with some specific elements such as Si, P, Se, and Ca that tend to decrease the concentration of arsenic in rice.
Regarding the title, I think it is too ambitious because it is not clear whether it only decreases the arsenic concentration or also decreases the toxicity by transforming into species less toxic than As (III).

In the part of "abstract", it is necessary to introduce why are choose Si, Se, P, and Ca.
In general terms, the review is achieved, however, it is necessary to better introduce the subject, for example by explaining why these elements have been chosen and not others. Perhaps in point 1.1 the information on the pathways that will be evaluated to reduce the concentration/toxicity should be complemented.
In the As-P part, a subtitle is missing to refer to the Faith. However, I think that in this part it is necessary to introduce the topic of radial oxygen loss [ref 22, 78] and also in part 1.1.
The comparative study in reference 79 does not refer to rice plants but rather to pho2 Mutant and Wild Type of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Page [291] The next sentence "arsenic (V) in general may inhibit Selenium (VI) transport in Vessel element [114]" does not correspond to the cited article since it does not talk about the Se-As interaction.

I have a due with this phrase "The second silicon transporter (Lsi2) in rice roots transfer silicon efflux from epidermal and endodermal cells to steel to load xylem, and this transporter also mediates the efflux of As (III) [30, 34]. Did you mean iron or is it correct to say steel?

In the part of the conclusions

I'm afraid I have to disagree with the third conclusion or the third paragraph. Since the relation between rice-arsenic-selenium and toxicity is not explained.

Also, I think you should indicate a conclusion for each item analyzed.

Mistakes

Line 91, flag leaves not flag, leaves

Line 105, Should say inorganic Phosphate not mineral Phosphate for Pi.

Line 119, of p and As changes for of P and As

line 240 Change Phosphorous by Selenium

line 160, What is TSP?

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you so much for your helpful comments.

• The title changed to ‘Usage of Si, P, Se, and Ca decrease arsenic concentration/toxicity in rice, a review.’
• The reason for introducing why are choose Si, Se, P, and Ca was added to the abstract.
• The explaining of why these elements have been chosen was added to the end of the 1.1 part.
• The subtitle of Phosphorus (P) and As was modified.
• Two more references were added to reference 79.
• Mechanisms of arsenic uptake, transport, accumulation, and distribution in rice were added as Figure 1.
• Line [291], the reference was modified, and were added two new related references.
• In this sentence,’ The second silicon transporter (Lsi2) in rice roots transfer silicon efflux from epidermal and endodermal cells to steel to load xylem, and this transporter also mediates the efflux of As (III) [30, 34], I did a mistake, and correct phrase is ‘endodermal cells to stele,’ and I modified it.
• Line 91, flag leaves was modified.
• Line 105, mineral Phosphate was modified to inorganic Phosphate.
• Line 116, p was modified to P
• line 240, Phosphorous was changed by Selenium
• line 160, Triple superphosphate (TSP) was added.
• The conclusion was rewritten.

                                     

Thanks again

 Best regards

 M.Boorboori

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

The authors made the corresponding modifications and the new version is acceptable for publication.

This manuscript is a resubmission of an earlier submission. The following is a list of the peer review reports and author responses from that submission.