Abstract
Shallots have been widely planted as the primary commodity crop in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Information on the distribution of heavy metals in the shallot fields of Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, is not yet available. Hence, the present study was conducted to identify the concentration and spatial distribution of several heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni) and their possible sources in the shallot fields through a field survey and a series of laboratory and statistical tests. The total concentration of heavy metals was analyzed from 184 sampling points of the shallot fields in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, during the dry season from August to October 2019. The heavy metals concentration was as follows: Cr > Ni > Pb > Co > Cd. The values of total Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni concentrations in the soils were 7.84–18.94, 0.99–2.31, 3.02–9.98, 10.40–49.55, and 10.17–26.62 mg kg−1, respectively. All these concentration values of heavy metals are still lower than the critical values for agricultural soils and lower than the topsoil background values except Cd. Based on the concentration of heavy metals, the shallot fields in Brebes Regency, Central Java, are classified as uncontaminated soils. Multivariate and geostatistical analyses were employed to determine and describe the metals’ origin. Pb, Cr, and Ni mainly originate from a natural source, while Cd and Co are from anthropogenic sources (agricultural practices and industry).
Highlights
Heavy metals are among the potentially harmful environmental pollutants in agricultural soils. eir presence in the environment is reported to come from natural and anthropogenic sources. eir natural sources are rocks, parent materials, vegetation, and volcanogenic particles, while the anthropogenic sources include transportation, mining, industrial activities, sewage, and wastewater irrigation, uncontrolled uses of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and residual organic matters [1,2,3]
No studies were reported on the spatial distribution of heavy metals in shallot fields in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. erefore, the present study is considered necessary
Brebes covers an area of 1,769.62 km2, 38.1% of which are agricultural lands and the remaining 61.9% are for nonagricultural uses. e regency was selected as the research location based on its shallot productivity, and the persistent practice of excessive fertilizer and pesticide applications may cause heavy metal contamination and land degradation in the shallot fields
Summary
Source Identification and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Shallot Fields in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The present study was conducted to identify the concentration and spatial distribution of several heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni) and their possible sources in the shallot fields through a field survey and a series of laboratory and statistical tests. E heavy metals concentration was as follows: Cr > Ni > Pb > Co > Cd. e values of total Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni concentrations in the soils were 7.84–18.94, 0.99–2.31, 3.02–9.98, 10.40–49.55, and 10.17–26.62 mg kg−1, respectively All these concentration values of heavy metals are still lower than the critical values for agricultural soils and lower than the topsoil background values except Cd. Based on the concentration of heavy metals, the shallot fields in Brebes Regency, Central Java, are classified as uncontaminated soils. Cr, and Ni mainly originate from a natural source, while Cd and Co are from anthropogenic sources (agricultural practices and industry)
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