Abstract
A large amount of chemicals is annually applied at the agricultural soils as fertilizers and pesticides. Such applications may result in the increase of heavy metals particularly Cd, Pb, and As. The objective of this study was to investigate the variability of chemical applications on Cd, Pb, and As concentrations of wheat-cultivated soils. Consequently, a study area was designed and was divided into four subareas (A, B, C, and D). The soil sampling was carried out in 40 points of cultivated durum wheat during the 2006–2007 periods. The samples were taken to the laboratory to measure their heavy metal concentration, soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity, cationic exchange capacity, organic matter, and carbonate contents. The result indicated that Cd, Pb, and As concentrations were increased in the cultivated soils due to fertilizer application. Although the statistical analysis indicates that these heavy metals increased significantly (P value < 0.05), the lead and arsenic concentrations were increased dramatically compared to Cd concentration. This can be related to overapplication of fertilizers as well as the pesticides that are used to replant plant pests, herbs, and rats.
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. (1990). Heavy metals in soils. New York: Wiley.
Alloway, B. J. (1995). Soil processes and the behavior of metals. New York: Wiley.
Brigden, K., Stringer, R., & Santillo, D. (2002). Heavy metal and radionuclide contamination of fertilizer products and phosphogypsum waste produced by The Lebanese Chemical Company, Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK.
De Vries, W., Römkens, P. F. A. M., Van Leeuwen, T., & Bronswijk, J. J. B. (2002). Heavy metals. In: P. M. Haygarth & S. C. Jarvis (Eds.), Agriculture, hydrology and water quality (pp. 107–132). UK: CABI.
Gupta, P. K. (2000). Soil, plant, water and fertilizer analysis. New Delhi: Agrobios.
Houba, V. J. G., Lee, J., van der, J., & Novozamsky, I. (1995). Soil and plant analysis—A series of syllabi, Part 5b, soil analysis procedures, other procedures. Wageningen: Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Wageningen Agricultural University.
Huang, S. W., & Jin, J. Y. (2008). Status of heavy metals in agricultural soils as affected by different patterns of land use. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 139(1–3), 317–327. doi:10.1007/s10661-007-9838-4.
Ju, X. T., Kou, C. L., Christie, P., Dou, Z. X., & Zhang, F. S. (2007). Changes in the soil environment from excessive application of fertilizers and manures to two contrasting intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain. Environmental Pollution, 145, 497–506. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2006.04.017.
Martin, J. A. R., Arias, M. L., & Corbi, J. M. G. (2006). Heavy metals contents in agricultural topsoils in the Ebro basin (Spain). Application of the multivariate geostatistical methods to study spatial variations. Environmental Pollution, 144, 1001–1012. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2006.01.045.
McLaughlin, M. J., Parker, D. R., & Clarke, J. M. (1999). Metals and micronutrients—Food safety issues. Field Crops Research, 60, 143–163. doi:10.1016/S0378-4290(98)00137-3.
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(1–3), 205–219. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(03)00139-6.
Nouri, J., Mahvi, A. H., Jahed, G. R., & Babaei, A. (2008). A regional distribution pattern of groundwater heavy metals resulting from agricultural activities. Environmental Geology, 55, 1337–1343. doi:10.1007/s00254-007-1081-3.
O’Neill, P. (1995). Arsenic. In: B. J. Alloway (Ed.), Heavy metals in soils (2nd ed., pp. 105–121). Glasgow: Blackie Academic & Professional.
Parkpian, P., Leong, S. T., Laortanakul, P., & Thunthaisong, N. (2003). Regional monitoring of lead and cadmium contamination in a tropical grazing land site, Thailand. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 85(2), 157–173. doi:10.1023/A:1023638012736.
Selene, C. H., Chou, J., & De Rosa, C. T. (2003). Case studies—Arsenic. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 206, 381–386. doi:10.1078/1438-4639-00234.
Soon, Y. R., & Abboud, S. (1993) Cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel. In: M. R. Carter (Ed.), Soil sampling methods of soil analysis. Boca Raton: Lewis.
Taylor, M. D., & Percival, H. J. (2001). Cadmium in soil solutions from a transect of soils away from a fertilizer bin. Environmental Pollution, 113(1), 35–40.
Tu, C., Zheng, C. R., Chen, H. M. (2000). Effect of applying chemical fertilizers on forms of lead and cadmium in red soil. Chemosphere, 41, 133–138. doi:10.1016/S0045-6535(99)00400-2.
Wa°ngstrand, H., Eriksson, J., & Oborn, I. (2007). Cadmium concentration in winter wheat as affected by nitrogen fertilization. European Journal of Agronomy, 26, 209–214.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Atafar, Z., Mesdaghinia, A., Nouri, J. et al. Effect of fertilizer application on soil heavy metal concentration. Environ Monit Assess 160, 83–89 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0659-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0659-x