Predictive model for cadmium uptake by maize and rice grains on the basis of bioconcentration factor and the diffusive gradients in thin-films technique

Abstract

It is possible for heavy metals in soils to be adsorbed by crop roots and then accumulated in crops, which eventually causes great health risk when the crops are ingested by humans. Thus, it is valuable to understand the enrichment model of heavy metals in crops. Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique, as an in-situ passive sampling method, can be used to evaluate the bioavailable heavy metals contents in soils. In this study, data of the bioavailable cadmium (Cd) in soils determined by DGT and Cd contents uptake in rice and maize grains in Tianjin, Zhejiang and Guangxi provinces of China were collected from previous references in Web of Science. By comparing bioconcentration factors, it was found that the heavy metal concentrations accumulated in rice and maize followed a general order roots > stems or leaves > grains. An accurate and robust model for the prediction of Cd content in maize and rice grains was established based on bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the bioavailable Cd content determined by DGT method, with R2 0.986 and root mean square error (RMSE) 0.128. This result suggests that the DGT method can be good tool for predicting heavy metals uptake in crops.