Abstract
A study was carried out in intensive greenhouse areas of Kas district, Antalya to determine the relation among soil properties and metal characteristics, ground water properties and metal contents and greenhouse plant metal contents. Additional to routine water and soil analysis, a sequential extraction procedure was used to estimate the availability of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Ni and Pb) in greenhouse soils and several environmental pollution indexes were used to evaluate the size of pollution and risks. Groundwaters of greenhouse area have high conductivity and nitrate content, but heavy metal contents were below the permissible levels. Average total Cd, Ni, Pb and As contents of groundwaters were below the pollutant limits, but Zn concentrations were exceeded. However, the average heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) values for all metals in groundwaters were below the critical value. The concentrations of heavy metals with the exception of Ni in soils of greenhouses were generally below the referenced limits. Soil metal speciation showed that the greatest percentage of all metals was present in the residual form, and the mobility of metals declined in the following order: As>Zn>Cd>Pb>Ni. Single factor and composite pollution coefficient values of all metals with the exception of Ni were not exceeded critical limit. Anthropogenic and enrichment factor indexes of greenhouse soils indicate that both two parameters showed similar trends and 1 to 9 fold metal enrichments by anthropogenic inputs compared to uncontaminated soil. Potential ecological risk indexes of soil metals except Ni were found below the threshold value that indicates these metals have a low risk to surrounding environment. All heavy metal concentrations with the exception of Cd in tomato fruits were found below the permissible heavy metal limits. Although soil Ni concentration was excessed the pollutant limits, possibly due to low soil mobility factor of Ni, concentration of Ni in tomato fruit was found very low. However, target hazard quotient (THQ) of tomato fruits was found below the critical value and thus it can be presumable no health risk for Cd metal in short or medium terms. In a comprehensive manner, in addition to total concentrations referenced, environmental risk evaluation methods and soil speciation studies may provide useful information for assessing metal bioavailability and environmental risks.
Highlights
The impact of heavy metal pollution of soils on food metal content and underground water quality has become a public concern
Mobility of soil metal was computed based on the metal fractions theoretically mobile fractions in sequential extraction procedure, where the metals are softly bound to the solid phases
Risk Assessment Code (RAC) index was computed based on the bioavailable metal concentrations in terms of percent contribution in geochemical fraction (F1 and F2) in sequential extraction procedure, where the metals are softly bound to the solid phases [23]
Summary
The impact of heavy metal pollution of soils on food metal content and underground water quality has become a public concern. Heavy metals are of considerable environmental concern due to their toxicity, wide sources, non-biodegradable properties and accumulative behaviours [1]. Due to intensive use of agrochemicals in greenhouse soils, heavy metals are become common pollutants in greenhouse soils and near environment. Repeated amendments of organic matter and intensive use of fertilizers, metal-enriched chemicals and biocides may cause soil and environmental pollution in greenhouses. Greenhouse areas a have great impact on environment due to intensive use of agrochemicals, little attention has been paid to metal accumulation in greenhouse plants, metal contents of ground waters around greenhouses and heavy metal speciation and metal bioavailability and environmental pollution assessment in greenhouse soils with respect to comprehensive and integrated environmental evaluation. The relationship between agricultural practices and the dissolution of nitrate in groundwater, as well as other pollutants have been studied in a number of case studies [3]
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