Structural interplay and macroscopic aggregation of rice albumins after binding with heavy metal ions

Contamination of cereal grains by heavy metals is becoming a serious threat to human health, especially in the central regions of China. Herein, we report drastic changes in the supramolecular nanostructures of rice albumins (RAs) after binding with Cu(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II). Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that Cu(II) initiated an immediate precipitation of RAs, whereas Cd(II) and Pb(II) promoted the formation...