Acta Agrophysica, 2001, 51, 85-90

C A D M I U M CONTENTS IN THE SOILS AND PLANTS CULTIVATED IN THE ECOLOGICALLY HAZARDOUS REGIONS

C. Jasiewicz, J. Antonkiewicz

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural University of Cracow A l . A. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakow, Poland

A b s t r a c t . The studies comprised 20 points localised in four communities of the Silesian province. The aim of the investigations was to assess cadmium contents in soils, grain and straw of spring barley cultivated in the ecologically hazardous region and to describe relations between this metal contents in the soils and indicative parts of barley.

It was found out that 27 of the examined soils were characterised by an increased cadmium con­tents, 69 of the soils were slightly contaminated and 8 of them showed medium contamination. In 42 grain samples of barley the permissible dose was exceed in the plants appropriated for consumption. A significant relationship was found between cadmium contents in the soils and their granulometric composition. Significant relationships were also registered between cadmium concentration in the soil and its contents in barley. Cadmium contents in grain was significantly correlated with organic carbon and clay fraction. However for straw, significant relations were found between cadmium con­tents and granulometric composition, reaction and organic matter contents.

K e y w o r d s : barley, grain, straw, soil, cadmium.

INTRODUCTION

Parent rocks are natural sources of heavy metals in soils. These are the rocks

from which the soil were derived [1,2]. The amount of heavy metals coming from

that source is generally diversified. However, it does not threaten soil fertility and

so does not create any worse conditions for plant growth and quality. On the other

hand when a soil is enriched with heavy metals that come from industrial and eco­

nomic human activities in the amounts exceeding their natural contents by far, it

may become harmful to soil biological properties and toxic to plants. This in turn

pollutes the food chain and ground waters [5,8].

86 C. JASIEWICZ, J. ANTONKIEWICZ

Cadmium is especially interesting for the researchers studying environmental protection as it is exceptionally toxic [5,8,11]. Cadmium pollution of soils is a very undesirable occurrence, both from the biological and ecological points of view. A major amount of cadmium with anthropogenic genesis is accumulated in the soil surface layer [1,11]. Cadmium forms relatively well soluble combinations when compared to the other heavy metals. That why it is easily absorbed from the soil by plants, both by root systems and overground parts. It was characterised as a highly efficient coefficient in the soil - plant transfer [4]. Cadmium absorption by plants is determined by the soil physico-chemical properties, mainly its reaction and organic matter content [2,6,9]. Cadmium accumulation in plants does not al­ways increased proportionally to its contents in the soil. It often depends on the species properties of a given plant [7,8,11].

The aim of the present studies was to assess cadmium content in soils, grain and straw of spring barley cultivated in an ecologically hazardous region and to describe relations between its contents in the soils and indicative parts of barley.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Soil and spring barley samples from 104 points spread out in the north-east part of the Silesian province were collected for the present studies. After air dry­ing, soil samples were ground in a porcelain mortar and screened with a 1-mm mesh plastic sieve. Granulometric composition was determined using an areomet-ric method after Bouyoucos-Cassagrande with Proszyhski's modification, soil re­action (pH) with a potentiometric method, hydrolytic acidity and sorption complex capacity according to Kappen's method and organic matter contents after Tiurin's method. Cadmium contents both in the soil and plant material (after previous dry mineralization) were determine with a Philips PU 9100X atomic absorption spec­trophotometer [15".

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Basing on the grain size analysis, it was found that 20 from 104 studied soils were classified as very light and 84 as light. Reaction of those soils ranged from 4.25 to 6.85 (Table 1). Their acidity level required liming in about 2% of the stud­ied soils, for 20% it is necessary, for 51% it is desirable and for 27% ought to be limited. Organic C contents ranged from 0.1 to 2.26%) and an average value was 1.40%) (Table 1). Cadmium contents in the studied soils was diversified and fluctuated

CADMIUM IN SOILS AND PLANTS 87

T a b l e 1. Physico-chemical properties of investigated soils and content of Cd in soils and barley

Statistical charac­

terization

Particles (t)<0.02 mm (%)

PHKCI

Org.C (%)

Hh cmol H"̂

kg-'

T CEC

cmolf+)

Cd

Soil

mg kg-'

Grain

d.m.

Stra\

Mean 12.92 6.07 1.4 1.31 14.73 1.38 0.17 0.62 Minimum 5 4.25 0.1 0.48 5.87 0.72 0.01 0.22 Maximum 19 6.85 2.3 2.85 33.19 2.38 0.76 2.29

V(%)* 24 10 31 52 45 27.59 96.35 69.23

*V - coefficient of variation (%); Hh - hydrolytic acidity; T - sorption complex capacity.

in the range 0.72-2.38 mg Cd kg"' d.m.; at average 1.38 mg Cd kg"' d.m. and co--

1 efficient of variation was 27.6% (Table 1). According to Terelak et al. [16], cad­mium contents in the soils of Poland ranged from 0.01 to 24.75 Cd kg-' d.m., with the average level of 0.22 Cd kg"' d.m. However, cadmium concentration in the soils of Silesia, the average level was 1.14 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m. Our results showed that the contents of studied element in the examined soils was six times higher than the country average (0.22 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m.). Undoubtedly, it resulted from metalliferous dust pollution from steel industry. According to Terelak et al. [16], cadmium concentration in the most polluted soils of Silesia amounts to 6.71 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m. Very high cadmium concentrations of 24.75 Cd kg ' ' d.m. are not characteristic of large areas and they have very local character. However, in these soils such a high cadmium concentration was not observed and the maxi­mum was about 2.28 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m.

Cadmium pollution of soils classified according to suggestions of the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation [12] revealed its increased contents in the 27 of the examined soils (I^^ degree), slight contamination in 69 soils ( I I " ' ' degree) and medium contamination in 8 soils (S"' degree). The studies [14] pointed out that those areas ought to be re-cultivated and taken under control to monitor chemical composition of agricultural crops, to exclude highly polluted areas form agricultural production.

Common knowledge is that the above-ground parts contain more heavy met­als, such as cadmium, since they come not only from the soil but also from air pol­lution [7,11]. Low amounts of these elements were found in com grain and fruit but the highest amounts were observed in roots [9-11].

Cadmium concentration in spring barley was, on the average 0.17 mg in grain. It ranged from 0.01 to 0.76 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m. Its content is straw was 0.62 with a range from 0.22 to 2.29 mg Cd kg ' d.m. Cadmium contents in grain was very

88 C. JASIEWICZ, J. ANTONKIEWICZ

diversified whicli was clearly visible in the coefficient of variation V = 96.35%. Slightly lower diversification was observed in straw V = 69.23%) (Table 1). The results showed that the straw of spring barley contained considerably more cad­mium than grain. The range of variation was wider in straw than in grain (Table 2) According to Dudka [3], cadmium concentration in Polish cereals is lower than in the examined spring barley. In the case of straw, it ranged from 0.05 to 1.50 mg Cd, with an average of 0.22 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m. In the case of grain, it ranged from 0.03 to 1.30 mg Cd, with 0.11 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m on the average.

T a b l e 2. Simple correlation coefficient (r) between the Cd content in plants and soils and some of its properties

Cd in % fraction (mm) p H K C l C- Cd Cd in

1.0-0.1 0.1-0.02

<0.02 <0.002

p H K C l

organic Soil Grain Straw

Soil 0.3)8 -0.311 -0.142 0250 -0.056 0.186 X -0.253 0.603 *** ** ** ***

Grain 0.167 0^083 -0.276 -0.248 0.1 19 -0.428 X X 0.028 ** * ***

Straw 0.542 -0.493 -0.314 0.173 -0.341 -0.230 X X X *** *** ** *** *

r - significant at: *P=0.05; **P=0.01; ***P=0.001.

The examined samples of barley were estimated in relation with their value for consumption, fodder and industrial processing. Their classification was carried out according to the critical contents of trace metals for plants suggested by Kabata-Pendias et al. [12]. The critical cadmium content assumed to evaluate plants from the point of view of their suitability for consumption was 0.15 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m., for fodder it was <0.5 mg Cd kg ' ' d.m. and for industrial processing >0.5 mg Cd kg' ' d.m. Barley evaluated according to this criterion revealed 60%o of grain sam­ples suitable for consumption, 37%o for fodder and only 3%) threshold values con­cerning industrial usefulness were exceeded.

A significant relationship between the selected properties and cadmium con­tents in the soil and plant was detected by calculating coefficients of simple corre­lation. The values shown in Table 2 showed a significant relation between cadmium contents in the soil and soil granulometric composition, i.e. sand fraction (r=0.318), silt (r=-0.311) and colloidal clay (r=0.2510). Significant relations were registered also between Cd concentration in the soil and its contents in barley (for grain r = -0.253 and for straw 0.603). Cadmium contents in grain was strongly in­fluenced by organic carbon r= -0.438, clay fractions r= -0.276. For straw, the most

CADMIUM IN SOILS AND PLANTS 89

significant relations were found between cadmium contents and granulometric composition (sand, silt and clay fractions) and soil reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Cadmium contents in the studied soils ranged from 0.72-2.38 mg Cd, with an average of 1.38 mg Cd kg"' d.m. Estimation of cadmium pollution in soils ac­cording to a classification suggested by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cul­tivation revealed its increased contents in 27 of the examined soils, a slight contamination of 69 soils and medium contamination in 8 soils.

2. Cadmium concentration in the grain of spring barley was on the average 0. 17 (0.01-0.76 mg Cd kg"' d.m.) and it was higher in straw 0.62 (0.22-2.29 mg Cd kg"' d.m.). Barley evaluated according to the consumption criterion gave 60% of grain samples suitable for consumption, 37%) for fodder and only 3%o of the threshold values for industrial usefulness were exceeded.

3. An accurate relationship between cadmium contents in the soil and soil granulometric composition of the investigated soils was examined together with cadmium content in grain and straw. Among the studied soil properties, organic carbon and clay influenced cadmium contents most in grain, whereas granulomet­ric composition and soil reaction in the case of straw.

REFERENCES

1. Adriano D.C.: Trace Elements in the Terriestrial Environment. Springer Verlag, New York, 1986. 2. Czarnowska K.: Wplyw skaly macierzystej na zawartosc metali ci^zkich w glebach. Zesz. Probl.

Post. Nauk Roln., 242, 21 -30. 1984. 3. Dudka S.: Naturalne zawartosci kadmu i cynku w glebach Polski i w wybranych roslinach jedno-

lisciennych. Pam. Put., 95, 207-214, 1989. 4. Gailer J . : Schwermetalltransfer in der Nahrungskette. Forderungsdienst Beratungs-service, 9, 61-

68,1992. 5. Gorlach E . : Metale ci^zkie jako czynnik zagrazaJE\̂ cy zyznosci gleby. Zesz. Probl. Post Nauk

Roln., 421a, 113-122, 1995. 6. Gorlach E . , Curylo T.: Comparison of the effect of soil pH on the uptake heavy metals by vari­

ous plant species. Acta Agr. et Silv., ser. Agr., 29, 83-92,1990. 7. Jasiewicz C : Zawartosc kadmu w warzywach uprawianych w ogrodach dzialkowych Krakowa.

Aura, 3, 13-14, 1992. 8. Jasiewicz C : Wplyw wzrastaj^^cych dawek Cd na plon i zawartosc tego metalu w niektorych

warzywach. Acta Agr. et Silv., ser. Agr., 29, 83-93, 1993. 9. Jasiewicz C , Antonkiewicz J . : Topografia kadmu w burakach cwiktovv7ch. Zesz. Probl. Post.

Nauk Roln., 448b, 73-79, 1997. 10. Kabata-Pendias A., Piotrowska M . : Pierwiastki sladowe jako b-yterium rolniczej przydatnosci

odpadow. lUNG Pulawy, P(33), 1987.

90 C. JASIEWICZ, J. ANTONKIEWICZ

I I .Kabata-Pendias A., Pendias H.: Biogeochemia pierwiastkow sladowych. Wyd. Nauk. PWN, Warszawa, 1993.

12. Kabata-Pendias A., Motowicka-Terelak T., Piotrowska M., Terelak H., Witek T.: Ocena stopnia zanieczyszczenia gleb i roslin metalami ci^zkimi i siark^. Ramowe wytyczne dia rolnic-twa. Pulawy, P. (53), lUNG, 1993.

13. Litynski T., Jiirkowska H., Gorlach E.: Analiza chemiczno-rolnicza. Przewodnik metodyczny. Wyd. Nauk. PWN, Warszawa, 1976.

14. Motowicka-Terelak T., Terelak H.: Obszary ekologicznego zagrozenia gleb w Polsce w wyniku oddzialywania czynnikow antropogenicznych. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk Roln., 422, 43-54, 1995.

15.0strowska A., Gawlinski St., Szczubialka Z.: Metody analizy i oceny wlasciwosci gleb i roslin - katalog, Wyd. Inst. Oclii-. Srod., Warszawa, 1991.

16.Terelak H., Piotrowska M., Motowicka-Terelak T., Stuczynski T., Budzynska K.: Zawartosc metali ci^zkich i siarki w glebach uzytkow rolnych Polski oraz ich zanieczyszczenie tymi skladni-kami. Zesz. Probl. Post Nauk Roln., 418, 45-60, 1995.

C O N T E N T S

Role of Soil in Functioning of Anthropogenic and Degraded Ecosystems

Bielinska E . J . , Domzai H.: Soil enzymatic activity in deteriorated forest ecosystems in the operation area of the Pulawy S.A. Nitrogen Factory x 7

Blaga G., Bunescu V., Rauta C , Dumitru M., Lacatu§u R., Vidican R., Lechintan T., Garnet E . , Clapa D.: Rate of humus accumulation on -antlii'opic protosol from Capu§ Cluj district 15

Chudecka J . : Content of Cu, Zn and Mn in the eroded soils of a small arable-forest catchment of West Pomerania (The Chojna District) 21

Dechnik I. , Filipek T.: Influence of post-sewage waters on relations between exchangeable cations in soils 29

Drab M., Greinert H.: The pH changes of the soils formed as a result of reclamation of the sand-pits 3 7

Filipek T., Dechnik L : Influence of sewage on the content of trace elements in the soils of various erosion zones 4 5

Franiel I.: Development of Betula pendula seedlings growing on the "Silesia Steelworks" dumping grounds in Katowice 51

Greinert A.: Soils of the Zielona Gora urban forest parks as an example of anthropogenic transformations of natural forest soils 5 7

Grzeskiewicz H.: Effect of lignite discard used in crop rotation on some chemical soil properties and spring triticale yield 67

Harkot W., Czarnecki Z.: Variability of the general aspect of Polish lawn grass varieties on mineral soil with mechanically damaged upper layer 71

Iwaniszyniec P.: Level of soil pollution by heavy metals in selected orchards of Wielkopolska 7 7

Jasiewicz C , Antonkiewicz J , : Cadmium contents in the soils and plants cultivated in the ecologically hazardous regions 85

Jaworska M., Gospodarek J . : Effect of soil contamination with heavy metal ions on the harmful and useful entomofauna of broad beans 91

Kimsa T.[ Paweiko K., Ciepal R., Palowski B., Sliwiiiska-Wyrzychowska A.: Sulphur and heavy metals content in the soil of meadow ecosystems adjoining the metallurgic plant "Huta Katowice" as an indicator of environment degradation 101

Kucharski J . , Wyszkowska J . : Microbiological properties of soil contaminated with diesel oil 113

Mikos-Bielak M.: Heavy metals in soils subjected to industrial emission in the Stalowa Wola region 121

Mocek A., Owczarzak W., Kaczmarek Z.: Evaluation of criteria of the extent of soil degradation in the vicinity of workings of open cast brown coal mines situated on the Central Polish Lowland 131

Palowski B.,|Kimsa T . j Sierka-Koper E . , Ciepal R., Lukasik I . : Concen­tration of zinc and lead in the soil around a non-ferrous metals smelter KGH "Boleslaw" in Bukowno near Olkusz 143

Raczkowski B.: Differentiation of chemical properties of forest soils in the range of beech trees {Fagus sp.) under the influence of atmospheric pollution in the Dobrzany Forest Inspectorate of the West Pomerania District 151

Szymona J . , Sawicki B.: Relations between Pb, Zn and Cu content in the soil and plants of allotment gardens 159

Terelak H., Motowicka-Terelak T.: Sulphur content in dandelion {Taraxacum officinale) as an indicator of threat to agroecosystems 165

Zablocki Z., Podlasiriska J . : Effect of hard coal fly ash application on chemical composition of forested (formerly arable) rusty soil and Scotch pine needles 171

Heavy Metals in Soils of Various Ecosystems

Bojanowska M., Jackowska L : Effect of platinum ions on the heavy metal ions in loessial soil. Part I : Copper ions 181

Curylo T.: Balance of heavy metals (Cd, Ni , Pb) in static fertijiser experiments on grasslands . 7^ . 189

Filipek-Mazur B., Mazur K., Gondek K.: Effect of various organic fertilisers on the heavy metal fractions in the soil. Part 1. Lead, copper and nickel 201

Filipek-Mazur B., Gondek K.: Effect of various organic Jertilisers on the heavy metal fractions in the soil. Part 2. Chromium and cadmium..' 209

Filipek-Mazur B., Gondek K.: Effect of various organic fertilisers on the heavy metal fractions in the soil. Part 3. Zinc, manganese and iron 215

Gambus F . , Rak M., Wieczorek J . : Heavy metals phytoavailability in the soils of the ecologically endangered regions in the province ofTarnow 221

Jasiewicz C , Sendor R.: Microelement contents in arable soils of the Upper Silesia 231

Kozera-Sucharda B., Gworek B.: Sorpton and desorption of copper and cadmium by natural and synthetic zeolites related to the pH of the polymetalic solution .... 237

Lipinski W., Terelak H., Stuczynski T.: Concentration of heavy metals in the agricultural soils of the Lublin region and Poland 243

Mikos-Bielak M.: Heavy metals in the soils from some regions of the Lublin Province 255

Raczuk J . : Heavy metals in the forest soils on the South Podlasie Lowland 263

Sawicka B.: Cadmium and nickel contents in Helianthus tuberosiis L. tubers 275

Sawicka B., Pszczolkowski P.: Pollution of early potato variety tubers with lead and strontium in Eastern Polesie 285

Wisniowska-Kielian B.: Influence of moisture and Cd addition on the contents of heavy metal soluble forms in soil (pot experiment) 295

Komitet Redakcyjny

Redaktor Naczelny - prof, dr hab. Jan Gliiiski, czf koresp. PAN

Z-cy RedaktoraNaczelnego: prof dr hab. Ryszard T. Walczak, czf koresp. PAN - fizyka srodowiska

prof, dr hab. Boguslaw Szot - tizyka niaterialow roslinnych prof dr hab. Ryszard D^bicki - gleboznawstwo

Rada Redakcyjna prof dr hab. J. Haman, czl. rzecz. PAN - przewodnicz^cy

prof dr hab. T. Brandyk prof dr hab. J. Laskowski prof dr hab. I . Dechnik prof dr hab. P.P. Lewicki prof dr hab. D. Drozd prof dr hab. S. Nawrocki, czl. rzecz. PAN prof dr hab. F. Diibert prof dr hab. E. Niedzwiecki prof dr hab. J. Fornal prof dr hab. J. Sielewiesiuk prof dr hab. E. Kaminski prof dr hab. W. St^pniewski prof dr hab. A. K^dziora prof dr hab. Z. Slipek prof dr hab. T. K^sik prof dr hab. S. Zawadzki, czk rzecz. PAN prof dr hab. Cz. Kozminski

Redaktor tomu

prof dr hab. Ryszard D^bicki

Prace recenzowane

Ad res redakcji

Instytut Agrofizyki im. Bohdana Dobrzanskiego PAN, ul. Doswiadczalna 4, P.O. B o x 201 20-290 Lublin 27, tel. (0-81) 744-50-61, e-mail: editor@demeter.ipan.lublin.pl

http: //www.ipan.lublin .pl

Publikacja indeksowana przez Polish Scientific Journals Contents - Agric. & B i o l . Sci. w sieci Internet

pod adresem http://satum.ci.uw.edu.pl/psjc/ lub http://ciuw.warman.net.pl/alf/psjc

Publikacja dofinansowana przez Komitet Badah Naukowych i Uniwersytet Marii Curie-SklodowskieJ

© Copyright by Instytut Agrofizyki im. Bohdana Dobrzanskiego PAN, Lublin 2001

ISSN 1234-4125

Wydanie I . Naklad 150 egz. Ark. wyd. 22,3 Sklad kompiiterowy: Ewa Hamera

Druk: Zaklad Uskig Poligraficznych TEKSTs.c, ul. Wspolna 19, 20-344 Lublin

Instytut A g r o f l ^ k i i m . B o h d a n a Dobrzanskiego P A N

w Lublinie

51

ROLE OF SOIL IN FUNCTIONING OF ANTHROPOGENIC

AND DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS

Lublin 2001