Determination of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Agricultural Lands of Amik Plain with MP-AES

Abstract

Heavy metal concentration in soils is crucial for environmental quality and agricultural ecosystems' health. Intensive agricultural practices and changing land use can induce their availability and mobility in agricultural ecosystems. Amik Lake which was drained-out to gain aglands have significant portion in the Amik Plain, one of the largest plains of Turkey, where agricultural activities were intensified in the last four decades. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate potentially plant available and/or mobile fraction heavy metals in the Amik Plain. For this purpose, 179 surface soil samples (0-30 cm) were taken by setting 2 km the grid system. Routine soil properties along with DTPA extractable lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) were analysed by using microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES). The range of heavy metal concentrations were: Pb 0-4.03 mg/kg, Cd 0-0.270 mg/kg, Ni 0-25.19 mg/kg, Cr 0-0.780 mg/kg, Co 0-1.83 mg/kg, Al 0-0.930 mg/kg, Fe 1.47-22.8 mg/kg, Cu 0.400-5.43 mg/kg, Mn 0-36.4 mg/kg and Zn 0-4.26 mg/kg on the soil samples. The identified main sources of heavy metals were parent materials, traffic, agricultural practices, and overall pedotransfer function as non-point sources; settlements and industrial organisations as point sources. It can be concluded that the accumulation and translocation of the heavy metals in the field were likely to be operated by the slope, erosion, pH, Na, Ca, drainage, and organic matter. © by PSP