Copper Accumulations in Soils, Coffee, Banana, and Bean Plants Following Copper-Based Fungicides in Coffee Farms in Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions, Tanzania

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of copper (Cu) contamination in coffee fields in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, Tanzania, to increase the database on the contamination of soils by Cu-based fungicides in coffee fields. Surface (0–20 cm deep) soil samples were collected from different farms in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. Coffee, banana, and bean plant samples were collected from the locations of soil sampling. Soil and plant samples were analyzed at the Department of Soil Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. It was found that the calcium chloride (CaCl2)–extractable Cu was less than the detection limit of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable (24 to 366 mg Cu kg−1 soil) and aqua regia–extractable (80 to 806 mg Cu kg−1 soil) Cu levels were high enough to raise environmental alarm (based on European Union guidelines) in the Cu fungicide–treated soils as compared with natural Cu levels in untreated soils (1 to 12 mg Cu kg−1 soil for DTPA and 22 to 32 mg Cu kg−1 soil for aqua regia–extractable Cu). Coffee, banana, and bean plants grown on soils contaminated by Cu fungicides had varied concentrations of Cu that were greater than the concentrations of Cu in the plants collected from the uncontaminated soils. Stepwise regression analysis carried out to investigate the relationships between the soil properties and the concentrations of Cu in plants revealed a significant (P = 0.01) positive relationship (R2 = 0.4) between organic carbon and the concentration of Cu in banana leaves. Aqua regia–extractable Cu was positively correlated (P = 0.03, R2 = 0.4) with the concentrations of Cu in banana leaves. For bean leaves, electrical conductivity (EC) had a positive significant (P = 0.01) relationship (R2 = 0.56) with the concentrations of Cu in the plants. It is recommended that further research be carried out to investigate the dynamics and bioavailability of Cu for the different crops interplanted in the coffee fields.