Elevated Cadmium Concentrations in Potato Tubers Due to Irrigation with River Water Contaminated by Mining in Potosí, Bolivia
Open Access
- 1 July 2007
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Environmental Quality
- Vol. 36 (4), 1181-1186
- https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2006.0401
Abstract
Risk of cadmium (Cd) in the human food chain in Cd-contaminated areas is often limited by phytotoxicity from zinc (Zn) that is associated with the Cd contamination. A semiarid area, 60 km downstream of a tin mine in Bolivia, was surveyed where irrigation with Cd-contaminated river water (65–240 μg Cd L−1) has increased median soil Cd to 20 mg kg−1 while median soil Zn was only about 260 mg kg−1. Cadmium concentrations in potato tubers increased from background values (0.05 mg kg−1 dry wt.) in soils irrigated with spring water to a median value of 1.2 mg kg−1 dry wt. in the affected area. Median concentration of Cd in soil solutions was 27 μg L−1 and exceeded the corresponding value of Zn almost twofold. Soil-extractable chloride ranged from 40 to 1600 mg Cl− kg−1 and was positively correlated with soil total Cd. Increasing soil solution Cl− decreased the solid-liquid distribution coefficient of Cd in soil. Soil total Cd explained 64% of the variation of tuber Cd concentration while only 3% of the variation was explained by soil extractable Cl− (n = 49). The estimated dietary Cd intake from potato consumption by the local population is about 100 μg d−1 which exceeds the WHO recommended total daily intake. It is concluded that the food chain risk of Cd in the irrigation water of the semiarid area is aggravated by the association with Cl− and, potentially, by the relatively large Cd/Zn ratio. Copyright © 2007. . ASA, CSSA, SSSAKeywords
Funding Information
- Flemish Universities and the Universidad Mayor de San Simón
This publication has 12 references indexed in Scilit:
- Influence of Mining Activities in the North of Potosi, Bolivia on the Water Quality of the Chayanta River, and its ConsequencesEnvironmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2006
- Soil solution concentration of Cd and Zn canbe predicted with a CaCl2 soil extractEuropean Journal of Soil Science, 2003
- Association of Cadmium in Durum Wheat Grain with Soil Chloride and Chelate‐Extractable Soil CadmiumSoil Science Society of America Journal, 2000
- Soil Cadmium as a Threat to Human HealthPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1999
- Management Factors which Influence Cadmium Concentrations in CropsPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1999
- The Environmental Chemistry of CadmiumPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1999
- Effect of Soil Solution Chloride on Cadmium Availability to Swiss ChardJournal of Environmental Quality, 1998
- Cadmium in Australian Potato Tubers and SoilsJournal of Environmental Quality, 1997
- Effect of soil chloride level on cadmium concentration in sunflower kernelsPlant and Soil, 1994
- INFLUENCE OF CHLORIDE SALINITY ON CADMIUM UPTAKE BY SWISS CHARDSoil Science, 1983