Abstract
The La Mancha region is a primary food production area in central Spain, with extensive zones used as vineyards. This article aims to present information about rare earth elements’ (REEs) contents and deals with their distribution in two representative soil profiles (Alfisols) in this area. The presence of carbonates and a semiarid climate are its main characteristic environmental factors. Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd), Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y) concentrations were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The results revealed the following maximum REEs’ contents (mg·kg–1): Ce 93.3, La 46.8, Nd 38.6, Y 25.5 and Sc 13.0. The REEs’ concentrations in the two soil profiles were in the following order: Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc. The application of fungicides and the addition of fertilisers in vineyards can increase the soil concentration of rare earths up to this region’s normal background levels. According to the Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo), soil samples were non-contaminated or slightly contaminated by REEs.
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