Abstract
Heavy metals known to be accumulated in plants adversely affect human health. This study aims to assess the effects of agrochemicals especially chemical fertilizers applied in paddy fields, which release potential toxic heavy metals into soil. Those heavy metals get accumulated in different parts of paddy plant (Oryza sativa L.) including the grains. Concentrations of nonessential toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr, and Pb) and the micronutrients (Cu, Mn, and Zn) were measured in the paddy field soil and plant parts. Mn and Cd are found to be accumulated more in shoot than in root. The metal transfer factors from soil to rice plant were significant for Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Zn. The ranking order of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for heavy metals was Zn > Mn > Cd > Cu > Cr > Pb indicating that the accumulation of micronutrients was more than that of nonessential toxic heavy metals. The concentrations of heavy metals were found to be higher in paddy field soils than that of the nearby control soil but below permissible limits. The higher Health Index (HI) values of rice consuming adults (1.561) and children (1.360) suggest their adverse health effects in the near future.
Highlights
Heavy metals from natural and anthropogenic sources accumulate in soil and plants and as a consequence represent important environmental contamination problems
The ranking order of occurrence of the heavy metals in the paddy field soils was Mn > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Cd indicating that Mn followed by Zn was in the maximum concentrations and Cd was in minimum concentration
Concentration of Cd was higher in S-5 followed by S-4, S-3, and S-2 (0.2 ± 0.03 μg g−1) showing the ranking order of S-5 > S-4 > S3 > S-1 > S-2, which is attributable to spatial difference in fertilizer broadcasting and consequential input on the soil surface
Summary
Heavy metals from natural and anthropogenic sources accumulate in soil and plants and as a consequence represent important environmental contamination problems. Heavy metals are potentially toxic to crop plants, animals, and human beings when the contaminated soils are used for crop production [4]. Environmental contamination of the biosphere with heavy metals due to intensive agricultural and other anthropogenic activities poses serious problems for safe use of agricultural land [5]. Contemporary agriculture with indiscriminate use of agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, along with mechanical cultivation, for higher crop productivity contaminates agriculture soils with potentially nonessential and essential heavy metals [6, 7]. In Japan, rice was found to be the main source of Cd contamination in human beings [12]
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