Abstract
We investigated the influence of soil properties on Ni toxicity to barley root and tomato shoot growth, using 16 European soils. The effective concentration of added Ni causing 50% inhibition (EC 50) ranged from 52 to 1929 mg kg −1 and from 17 to 920 mg kg −1 for the barley and tomato test, respectively, representing 37- and 54-fold variation among soils. Soil cation exchange capacity was the best single predictor for the EC 50. The EC 50 based on either the Ni concentration or free Ni 2+ activity in soil solution varied less among soils (7–14 fold) than that based on the total added Ni, suggesting that solubility of Ni is a key factor influencing its toxicity to plants. The EC 50 for free Ni 2+ activity from the barley test decreased with increasing pH, indicating a protective effect of protons. The results can be used in the risk assessment of Ni in the terrestrial environment.
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