The present study identifies the effects of sewage irrigation on the surface soils geochemistry and the concentration of heavy metals in plants of Sabzevar area, which were irrigated for a long time by wastewater. This study shows that the sewage irrigation has led to decreasing pH and increasing organic matter, and also it makes the accumulation of P 2 O 5 , high-field-strength elements (Ga, Ta, Th, U and Y) and heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn) in contaminated soils. Likewise, the concentration of rare-earth elements (REE) in contaminated soils is more than background samples with moderate enrichment of light REE compared with high REE in REE pattern diagram (mean La N /Lu N = 5.77). The calculated transfer factor and enrichment factor indexes in plants grown on the polluted soils are significantly higher than the control samples which show the heavy metal enrichment in the contaminated samples. Although the cultivated crops on this area (maize, beet, alfalfa, barely) are used only for animal feed, the heavy metal analysis indicated that the concentration of Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in these plants, especially alfalfa and maize, is more than the maximum permitted levels defined in different standards.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.