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Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo ISSN: 0100-0683 [email protected] Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo Brasil Siqueira da Silva, João Paulo; Araújo do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams; Miranda Biondi, Caroline; Vieira da Cunha, Karina Patrícia Heavy metals in soils and plants in mango orchards in Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, vol. 36, núm. 4, julio-agosto, 2012, pp. 1343-1353 Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo Viçosa, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=180224730028 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANTS IN MANGO ORCHARDS IN PETROLINA,... 1343 HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANTS IN MANGO ORCHARDS IN PETROLINA, PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL(1) João Paulo Siqueira da Silva(2), Clístenes Williams Araújo do Nascimento(3)*, Caroline Miranda Biondi(3) & Karina Patrícia Vieira da Cunha(4) SUMMARY The monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in areas under intensive agriculture is essential for the agricultural sustainability and food safety. This paper evaluates the total contents of heavy metals in soils and mango trees in orchards of different ages (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, and 26 years) in Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil. Soil samples were taken from the layers 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm, and mango leaves were collected in the growth stage. Areas of native vegetation (Caatinga) adjacent to the cultivated areas were used for comparison. The total concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Pb) were determined in soils and leaves. In general, mango cultivation led to Cu and Zn accumulation in the soil surface and to a reduction in the contents of Ni, Pb, Mn, and Fe in surface and subsurface. Since contamination by Cu, Zn, and Cr was detected, these areas must be monitored to prevent negative environmental impacts. For instance, the presence of Cr in mango tree leaves indicates the need to investigate the source of the element in these orchards. The management strategies of the different companies led to deficiency or excess of some metals in the evaluated areas. However, the Fe and Mn levels were adequate for the mineral nutrition of mango in all areas. Index terms: Trace elements, agricultural inputs, guiding values, contamination. (1) Part of Master disssertation of first author to the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife (PE), Brazil. Received for publication in September, 6, 2011 and approved in June, 13, 2012. (2) Agronomist, CAPES scholarship, PhD studente in Soil Science/UFRPE, CEP 52171-920, Recife (PE), Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] (3) Professors of the Departament of Agronomy/UFRPE, CEP 52171-920, Recife (PE). E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] (4) Professor of Departament of Civil Engeneering, Center of Tecnology - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, CEP 59072- 970, Natal (RN), Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] R. Bras. Ci. Solo, 36:1343-1353 1344 João Paulo Siqueira da Silva et al. RESUMO: METAIS PESADOS EM SOLOS E PLANTAS EM POMARES DE MANGA, EM PETROLINA, PERNAMBUCO O monitoramento dos teores de metais pesados nas áreas com uso intensivo de insumos agrícolas é de grande importância para a sustentabilidade agrícola e para a segurança alimentar. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os teores totais de metais pesados em solo e planta em áreas de mangueira com diferentes tempos de cultivo (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19 e 26 anos), em Petrolina (PE). Foram coletadas amostras de solo nas profundidades de 0-20 e 20-40 cm e de folhas de mangueira na fase vegetativa. Áreas de vegetação nativa (caatinga), adjacentes às áreas cultivadas, foram utilizadas para comparação. As concentrações totais de metais pesados (Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni e Pb) foram determinadas em solos e folhas. O cultivo de mangueira proporcionou acúmulo superficial dos metais Cu e Zn e redução dos teores de Ni, Pb, Mn e Fe, tanto em superfície como em subsuperfície. As áreas cultivadas apresentaram contaminação por Cu, Zn e Cr, devendo ser feitos monitoramentos nessas áreas para evitar impactos ambientais. Os diferentes tipos de manejo das empresas no cultivo de manga proporcionaram deficiência e excesso de alguns micronutrientes nas áreas avaliadas. Ferro e Mn, no entanto, supriram a nutrição mineral da mangueira em todas as áreas. A presença de Cr nas folhas de mangueira sugere a necessidade de investigação da ocorrência desse metal nessas áreas cultivadas. Termos de indexação: Elementos-traço, insumos agrícolas, valores orientadores, contaminação. INTRODUCTION on the origin, can also release heavy metals in the soil, originating mainly from additives in animal feed The Brazilian fruit production is nationally and (O’Neill, 1993; Mendes et al., 2010). internationally relevant, accounting for around 25 % In the Brazilian literature, data that reflect the of the total national agricultural production and of changes in the soil chemical properties as related to 10 % of the international fruit production, respectively the time of mango cultivation, mainly focused on the (Lacerda & Lacerda, 2004; Medeiros et al., 2005). One behavior of heavy metals in these soils, are scarce. of the fruits with a high commercial value is mango Therefore, the behavior of these elements in the soil- (Mangifera indica L.) (Albuquerque et al., 1999). In plant system should be evaluated, in order to find northeastern Brazil, mango is a key element of the solutions or control methods to monitor the regional economy, produced for exportation (Ribeiro accumulation of these metals in soil and plants, et al., 2009), mainly for the European and North reducing the risk of environmental pollution (Oliveira American markets (Lucafó & Boteon, 2001), and et al., 2008). recently focused on Asia as well. Approximately 92 % In this context, due to the importance of of the country’s mango exports are produced in this environmental monitoring of crops with a high region (Silva, 2008). contribution of agrochemical inputs, as in the case of The high mango production of this region, of mango farming in Northeastern Brazil, this study around 25 t ha-1 (Silva, 2008), is the result of a had the objective of evaluating heavy metal contents mechanized agriculture with intensive application (Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) of soil and plants in of agricultural inputs. However, the increase in the mango orchards after different cultivation periods. use of fertilizers and pesticides causes a series of environmental impacts, e.g., contamination by heavy metals, salts, and agrotoxics that leach and flow from the cultivated areas into watersheds and MATERIAL AND METHODS groundwater sources (Berti, 2003) and may also accumulate in the soil. The soils and plant samples analyzed were collected Fertilizers, for example, despite providing crops from mango orchards in Petrolina, Pernambuco, with nutrients, contain heavy metals that are Brazil (9º 23’ 38.97’’ S, 40º 30’ 34.58’’ W). potentially toxic to human health and to the The 11 study areas with different histories of environment (Peris et al., 2008). These elements also fertilization and liming belong to eight agricultural frequently form part of the active components of companies producing mainly for mango exportation. pesticides. Thus, the continued use of fertilizers and In general, fertilizing by agricultural companies pesticides was identified as the primary pathway for provides 40 L/plant of organic matter (OM) annually the introduction of metals into agricultural soils from animal sources, such as goat or cattle manure (Núñez et al., 2006). Organic fertilizers, depending or other, commercial products used as organic R. Bras. Ci. Solo, 36:1343-1353 HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANTS IN MANGO ORCHARDS IN PETROLINA,... 1345 fertilizers. The companies use different N doses and elements in spinach leaves) were digested and every sources, the most common of which is ammonium 30 samples were analyzed. sulfate, at rates of 300¬¬500 g/plant. The most The statistical analysis was performed in a 2¬[¬2 commonly used K source was potassium sulfate, at factorial arrangement (two environments and two rates of 100¬¬800 g/plant. For phosphorus, one layers) with three replicates, for a total of 132 company reportedly applies 1,000 g/plant of experimental units. For the chemical analysis of superphosphate. Some companies utilize other types plants, 10 cultivation periods were considered with of fertilizers, such as magnesium sulfate, calcium three replicates, for a total of 30 experimental units. nitrate, zinc sulfate, iron sulfate, and boric acid, The statistical analysis was based on the application among others. In the different phenological stages of of the F test to analysis of variance, correlation the crop, the highest fertilizer rates are applied during analysis, and Tukey’s Test (p<¬0.05), using Statistical the production period. The acidity in the soil surface Analysis System software (SAS, 1999). and subsurface is reduced, when necessary, by lime and gypsum application. All companies water their crops daily by micro-sprinkler irrigation. To control pests and diseases, all companies adopted the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION integrated fruit production (IFP) program, with applications of pesticide spraying. Recoveries (in %) of the elements expressed in Soil samples were collected from orchards with comparison to NIST values were as follows: Zn (97 %), mango trees of 11 ages (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, Pb (101 %), Fe (119 %), Ni (83 %), Mn (103 %), and Cr 19, and 26 years since planting) and from their (90 %). From the leaves, the following percentages respective reference areas (Caatinga biome with no were recovered: Cu (80 %), Mn (108 %), Zn (85 %), Pb or minimal human interference).