Abstract
Forty-two soil and apple samples from central Greece were collected and analyzed with regards to the content in major (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, and S) and trace elements (As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Ti, and Zn). Soil samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, while for the apples inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was implemented. Several elements such as As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Ti, and Zn, represent high concentrations in apples from the study area. These relatively high concentrations may be a consequence of the local geology, along with the excessive application of agricultural products such as fertilizers and agrochemicals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alloway, B. J. (1995). Heavy metals in soils (2nd ed.). Glasgow: Blackie.
Alloway, B. J., Thornton, I., & Smart, G. A. (1988). Metal availability. Science of the Total Environment, 75, 41–69.
Bobrowska-Grzesik, E., & Jakobik-Kolon, A. (2008). Leaching of cadmium and lead from dried fruits and fruit teas to infusions and decoctions. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 21, 326–331.
Bölviken, B., Bogen, J., Demetriades, A., De Vos, W., Ebbing, J., Hindel, R., et al. (1996). Regional geochemical mapping of Western Europe towards the year 2000. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 56, 141–166.
De Temmerman, L., Vanongeval, L., Boon, W., & Hoenig, M. (2003). Heavy metal content of arable soil in Northern Belgium. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 148, 61–76.
Dudka, S., Piotrowska, M., & Chlopecka, A. (1994). Effect of elevated concentrations of Cd and Zn in soil on spring wheat yield and the metal contents of the plants. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 76, 333–341.
Facchinelli, A., Sacchi, E., & Mallen, L. (2001). Multivariate statistical and GIS based approach to identify heavy metal sources in soil. Environmental Pollution, 114, 313–324.
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations). (2012). http://www.fao.org/. Accessed April 2012.
Hesterberg, D. (1998). Biogeochemical cycles and processes leading to changes in mobility of chemicals in soils. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 67, 121–133.
Kabata-Pendias, A., & Pendias, H. (2001). Trace elements in soils and plants (3rd ed.). New York: CRC.
Kelepertsis, A., Alexakis, D., & Kita, I. (2001). Environmental geochemistry of soils and waters of Susaki area, Korinthos, Greece. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 23, 117–135.
Megremi, I. (2010). Distribution and bioavailability of Cr in central Euboea, Greece. Central European Journal of Geosciences, 2, 103–123.
Newman, M., & Unger, M. (2003). Fundamentals of ecotoxicology (2nd ed.). Lewis: Publishers.
Nicholson, F. A., Smith, S. R., Alloway, B. J., Carlton-Smith, C., & Chambers, B. J. (2003). An inventory of heavy metals inputs to agricultural soils in England and Wales. The Science of the Total Environment, 311, 205–219.
Otte, M. L., Haarsma, M. S., Broekman, R. A., & Rozema, J. (1993). Relation between heavy metal concentrations and salt marsh plants and soil. Environmental Pollution, 82, 13–22.
Papastergios, G., Filippidis, A., Fernandez–Turiel, J. L., Gimeno, D., & Sikalidis, C. (2010). Distribution of potentially toxic elements in sediments of an industrialized coastal zone of the northern Aegean Sea. Environmental Forensics, 11, 282–292.
Papastergios, G., Fernandez–Turiel, J. L., Filippidis, A., & Gimeno, D. (2011a). Determination of geochemical background for environmental studies of soils via the use of HNO3 extraction and, Q-Q plots. Environmental Earth Sciences, 64, 743–751.
Papastergios, G., Filippidis, A., Fernandez–Turiel, J. L., Gimeno, D., & Sikalidis, C. (2011b). Surface soil geochemistry for environmental assessment in Kavala area, northern Greece. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 216, 141–152.
Petrotou, A., Skordas, K., Papastergios, G., & Filippidis, A. (2010). Concentrations and bioavailability of potentially toxic elements in soils of an industrialised area of northwestern Greece. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 19, 2769–2776.
Petrotou, A., Skordas, K., Papastergios, G., & Filippidis, A. (2012). Factors affecting the distribution of potentially toxic elements in surface soils around an industrialized area of northwestern Greece. Environmental Earth Sciences, 65, 823–833.
Rodrıguez Martın, J. A., Lopez Arias, M., & Grau Corbı, J. M. (2006). Heavy metals contents in agricultural topsoils in the Ebro basin (Spain). Application of the multivariate geoestatistical methods to study spatial variations. Environmental Pollution, 144, 1001–1012.
Skordas, K., & Kelepertsis, A. (2005). Soil contamination by toxic metals in the cultivated region of Agia, Thessaly, Greece. Identification of sources of contamination. Environmental Geology, 48, 615–624.
Skordas, K., Pateras, D., Papastergios, G., Lolas, A., & Filippidis, A. (2010). Spatial distribution and concentrations of Fe, Mg, Co, Cr and Ni in surface soils of central Greece as affected by parent rocks. Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Petrology, Sofia, 48, 95–102.
Wagner, G. J. (1993). Accumulation of cadmium in crop plants and its consequences to human health. Advances in Agronomy, 51, 173–212.
WHO (World Health Organization). (2012). http://www.who.int/en/. Accessed April 2012.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Mr. Christos Gerophotis for information regarding the fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides used in the study area. The English of the final draft of the manuscript was improved by Dr. Georgios Gkafas.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Skordas, K., Papastergios, G. & Filippidis, A. Major and trace element contents in apples from a cultivated area of central Greece. Environ Monit Assess 185, 8465–8471 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3188-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3188-1