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Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils from the surroundings of the Trans-Amazonian Highway, Brazil

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Abstract

The Trans-Amazonian Highway (TAH) is located in the northern region of Brazil, comprising a border region where agricultural, mining, and logging activities are the main activities responsible for fostering economic development, in addition to large hydroelectric plants. Such activities lead to environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Environmental monitoring is only possible through the determination of element contents under natural conditions. Many extraction methods have been proposed to determine PTEs’ bioavailability in the soil; however, there is no consensus about which extractor is most suitable. In this study, we determined the contents of PTEs in soils in the surroundings of TAH after mineral extraction with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-triethanolamine (DTPA-TEA), Mehlich I, and Mehlich III solutions. Soil samples were collected in areas of natural vegetation in the vicinity of TAH in the state of Pará, Brazil. Chemical attributes and particle size were determined, besides concentrations of Fe, Al, Mn, and Ti by sulfuric acid digestion, Si after alkaline solution attack, and poorly crystalline Fe, Al, and “free” Fe oxides. Mehlich III solution extracted greater contents from Fe, Al, and Pb as compared to Mehlich I and DTPA-TEA and similar contents from Cd, Mn, Zn, and Cu. Significant correlations were found between concentrations of PTEs and the contents of Fe and Mn oxides as well as organic carbon and soil cation exchange capacity. Contents of Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn by the three methods were positively correlated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Federal Rural University of Amazon (ICA-UFRA), C.P.917, Belém, PA, 66077-530, Brazil

    Edna Santos de Souza, Antonio Rodrigues Fernandes & Lorena Lira Leite Sabino

  2. Federal Rural University of Amazon – UFRA, João Pessoa Street, 113 (Center), Capanema, PA, 68700-030, Brazil

    Anderson Martins de Souza Braz

  3. Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture Luiz de Queiroz, University of São Paulo (ESALQ-USP), C.P.9, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil

    Luís Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni

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  1. Edna Santos de Souza
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de Souza, E.S., Fernandes, A.R., de Souza Braz, A.M. et al. Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils from the surroundings of the Trans-Amazonian Highway, Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 187, 4074 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-4074-1

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