Bioabsorption and Bioaccumulation of Cadmium in the Straw and Grain of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Growing Soils Contaminated with Cadmium in Different Environment.

Jorge Retamal-Salgado,Ingrid Walter,Juan Hirzel,Iván Matus

doi:10.3390/ijerph14111399

Abstract

There is a worldwide increase of heavy metal or potentially toxic element (PTE), contamination in agricultural soils caused mainly by human and industrial action, which leads to food contamination in crops such as in maize. Cadmium (Cd) is a PTE often found in soils and it is ingested through food. It is necessary to determine the bioabsorption, distribution, and accumulation levels in maize to reduce or prevent food chain contamination. Cadmium absorption and accumulation in three maize cultivars were evaluated in three agricultural environments in Chile by increasing CdCl2 rates (0, 1, and 2 mg·kg−1). Evaluation included Cd accumulation and distribution in different plant tissues, bioaccumulation factor (BAF), bioconcentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and tolerance index (TI). Cadmium whole-plant uptake was only affected by the CdCl2 rate; the highest uptake was obtained with 2 mg·kg−1 CdCl2 (34.4 g·ha−1) (p < 0.05). Cadmium distribution in the maize plant usually exhibited the highest accumulation in the straw (p < 0.05), independently of the environment, Cd rate, and evaluated cultivar. Given the results for TF (TF > 2) and BAF (BAF > 1), the Los Tilos and Chillán environments were classified as having a high capacity to contaminate the food chain for all evaluated cultivars.

Highlights

There is a worldwide increase of potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination in agricultural soils caused mainly by human and industrial action, which has generated concern for food contamination by these metals [1]
To reduce food chain contamination, the present study evaluated plant Cd absorption, distribution, or translocation, and accumulation in different maize cultivars cultivated in different environments and with increasing soil Cd rate treatments
Comparing DM production in the straw between cultivars, and as a mean of the environments and Cd rates, higher production was observed in Syngenta with

Summary

Introduction

There is a worldwide increase of potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination in agricultural soils caused mainly by human and industrial action, which has generated concern for food contamination by these metals [1]. Cadmium is not an essential plant nutrient; this metal can be absorbed in greater amounts than other elements without any adverse effects on growth [3]. It interacts with the metabolism of other essential metals, such as calcium, zinc, and iron [4,5,6] and can be bioaccumulated and/or biotransformed by plants [3]. Cadmium intake through the food chain can become toxic for living organisms and is carcinogenic for human beings [7]. Cadmium can be absorbed in human beings through food, especially leaves and grains; it accumulates in the liver and kidneys for more than 30 years and causes health problems [7,8]

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Discussion

Conclusion