Distribution of Arsenic Fraction in Soil Around Abandoned Mining Area and Uptake by Rice

Abstract

Arsenic (As) contamination of agricultural soils resulting from mining activity has caused major concern due to the potential health risk. Therefore the current study was carried out to investigate the relationship between fractionation of As in soil and rice uptake and to provide a basic information for adequate management of As contaminated agricultural soil. Twenty agricultural soils and rice affected by the abandoned mining sites were collected. Soil chemical properties and As concentrations (total and sequential extracted) in soils were determined and As concentrations in polished rice were analyzed. The average concentration of As in non-specifically adsorbed (F1), specifically adsorbed (F2), amorphous hydrous oxides of Fe and Al (F3), crystalline hydrous oxides of Fe and Al (F4) and residual phase (F5) were 0.08, 1.38, 10.34, 3.26 and 10.98 mg kg -1 , respectively. Both soil pH and available phosphorus were positively correlated with the concentrations of As in F1 and F2. These results indicate that increasing the soil pH and available phosphorus can significantly increase the easily mobile fractions of As (F1 and F2). The average concentration of As in polished rice was 0.09 mg kg -1 . The concentrations of As in F1 and F2 showed a positive correlation with the concentrations of As in polished rice. Therefore soil pH and available phosphorus affect the distribution of As fractionation in soils and thus affect As bioavailability.