Ecological risk and enrichment of potentially toxic elements in the soil and eroded sediment in an organic vineyard (Tokaj Nagy Hill, Hungary)

Abstract

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs), such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Co, can accumulate in vineyard soils due to repeated uses of inorganic pesticides and chemical or organic fertilizers. In sloping vineyards, PTEs can also be moved by soil erosion resulting in their accumulation in low-energy zones within the landscape, adversely affecting the soil environment. Our study evaluated the ecological risk related to the pseudo-total and bioavailable PTE contents (Zn, Pb, Co, Ni, Cr, and Cu) in the soil and eroded sediment samples from an organic vineyard in Tokaj (NE Hungary). The contamination status and the ecological risk of target PTEs were assessed by calculating the contamination factor, the pollution load index, the ecological risk factor, and the ecological risk index. The median pollution load indices of 1.15, 1.81, and 1.10 for the topsoil, the sediments, and the subsoil, respectively, demonstrate a moderate multi-element contamination case in the organic vineyard. Target PTEs tented to show increased concentrations in eroded sediments with the highest enrichment ratio (3.36) observed for Cu (Cu in the sediment/Cu in the topsoil), revealing a preferential movement of Cu-rich soil particles by overland flow. Moreover, PTEs were present in the sediments in more bioavailable forms (except Ni, Cr), assessed by an extraction procedure with EDTA. The ecological risk index (< 90) based on the studied PTEs showed an overall low ecological risk in the vineyard. Copper was the predominant factor of the ecological risk. Moreover, the highest ecological risk factor (24.6) observed for the bioavailable Cu content in an eroded sediment sample (representing 82% of the total ecological risk) shows that Cu accumulation in sloping vineyards is an ecological risk, particularly in the sedimentation zones. The high proportions of bioavailable Cu in the vineyard’s soil represent an increasing ecological risk over time, related to repeated treatments of vine plants with Cu-based pesticides.

Sustainability by Function (SbF): A Case Study in a Rainfed Vineyard to Reduce the Loss of Soil Nutrients

“…This must encourage the application of management that will reduce solute release to avoid damages in ecosystems that are sensitive to an increase in nutrients such as the wetlands and rivers. Moreover, our research also advises about the risk of delivering potentially toxic elements, such as Manaljav et al [50] found in the sloping vineyards and Pham et al [51] in Tokaj Nagy Hill, both sites in Hungary. Runoff water transports nutritive elements from soil, but they can also mobilize toxic elements [52].…”

Copper in grape and wine industry: Source, presence, impacts on production and human health, and removal methods

“…Third, topography is also a contributing factor (Korchagin et al., 2020; Pham et al., 2022). In Champagne, France, it was estimated that the applied amount of copper pesticide was about 3−5 kg/ha each time, about three to 10 times a year, which should lead to copper contents in the vineyard soil in the range of 100–1500 mg/kg.…”

Accumulation patterns and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in the topsoil of two sloping vineyards (Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary)

“…The determination of the soil texture based on the plasticity index values according to Arany (Arany plasticity index) was performed in accordance with the Hungarian Standard (MSZ-08-0205, 1978) (Table 1). Briefly, this index is calculated from the amount (cm 3 ) of deionized water added to an air-dry soil sample (100 g) until reaching the upper limit of its plasticity (Pham et al 2021;. The total salt content was analyzed by a conductivity meter type Orion 3-Star (Thermo Electron Corporation) in saturated soil samples (± 10).…”

“…Mostly acid soils have developed on the magmatic rock basement of the hills, but slightly alkaline soils are also found on the loess envelope of the magmatic rocks. Our previous studies investigated the enrichment and spatial distribution of PTEs in the topsoil of the vineyards in Tokaj-Hegyalja (near Tállya and Tokaj) using point samples (Manaljav et al 2021;Pham et al 2021). Meanwhile, this study focused on the accumulation patterns, and bioavailability of PTEs complemented with human health risk assessment by applying a hillslope position-based composite sampling strategy.…”