Journal article
Distribution and ecological risk assessment of trace elements in the paddy soil-rice ecosystem of Punjab, Pakistan
Environmental Pollution , Vol.307, 119492
15/08/2022
PMID: 35597483
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Abstract
Trace elements (TEs) contamination of agricultural soils requires suitable criteria for regulating their toxicity limits in soil and food crops, which depends on their potential ecological risk spanning regional to global scales. However, no comprehensive study is available that links TE concentrations in paddy soil with ecological and human health risks in less developed regions like Pakistan. Here we evaluated the data set to establish standard guidelines for defining the hazard levels of various potentially toxic TEs (such as As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn) in agricultural paddy soils of Punjab, Pakistan. In total, 100 topsoils (at 0–15 cm depth) and 204 rice plant (shoot and grain) samples were collected from five ecological zones of Punjab (Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Vehari, Mailsi, and Burewala), representing the major rice growing regions in Pakistan. The degree of contamination (Cd) and potential ecological risk index (PERI) established from ecological risk models were substantially higher in 100% and 97% of samples, respectively. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model revealed that the elevated TEs concentration, notably Cd, As, Cr, Ni, and Pb, in the agricultural paddy soil was attributed to the anthropogenic activities and groundwater irrigation. Moreover, the concentration of these TEs in rice grains was higher than the FAO/WHO's safe limits. This study provided a baseline, albeit critical knowledge, on the impact of TE-allied ecological and human health risks in the paddy soil-rice system in Pakistan; and it opens new avenues for setting TEs guidelines in agro-ecological zones globally, especially in underdeveloped regions.
•This study unveiled trace elements (TEs) contamination in agricultural soils and rice. •TEs (e.g., As, Cd, Pb, Ni, Fe) concentrations exceeded their safe limits in soil. •Soil risk model revealed that 97% of samples posed high ecological risk. •Rice grain TEs contents were greater than their threshold values in 46% of samples. •These findings open new directions to set guidelines for TEs risk in agro-ecosystems.
Details
- Title
- Distribution and ecological risk assessment of trace elements in the paddy soil-rice ecosystem of Punjab, Pakistan
- Creators
- Natasha - COMSATS University IslamabadIrshad Bibi - University of Agriculture FaisalabadNabeel Khan Niazi - University of Agriculture FaisalabadMuhammad Shahid - COMSATS University IslamabadFawad Ali - Department of Agriculture and FisheriesIsrar Masood ul Hasan - Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, PakistanMohammad Mahmudur Rahman - University of Newcastle AustraliaFazila Younas - University of Agriculture FaisalabadMuhammad Mahroz Hussain - University of Agriculture FaisalabadTariq Mehmood - Hohai UniversitySabry M. Shaheen - University of WuppertalRavi Naidu - University of Newcastle AustraliaJörg Rinklebe - University of Wuppertal
- Publication Details
- Environmental Pollution , Vol.307, 119492
- Comment
- The authors are thankful to the International Foundation for Science, Sweden (Grant No. W/5698–1) for providing financial support. Dr Irshad Bibi acknowledges the support from COMSTEQ-TWAS research grant 2018 (18-268 RG/EAS/AS_C). The authors are also grateful to the authority of GCER, The University of Newcastle for the ICP-MS instrumental facility for analyzing multi-elemental contents in soil and food samples.
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- International Foundation for Science, Sweden (Grant No. W/5698–1). COMSTEQ-TWAS research grant 2018 (18-268 RG/EAS/AS_C).
- Identifiers
- 991013051708102368
- Copyright
- © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article