Quality of commonly used fertilizers collected from different areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

Total 54 fertilizer samples were randomly collected from the markets of four districts of Bangladesh to assess nutrient and heavy metal (Cd, Cr & Pb) contents in different fertilizers. The chemical analyses of fertilizers were conducted at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Nutrient status of fertilizers was determined using the standard procedures and heavy metals in the fertilizer extract were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Nitrogen (N) content in urea collected from different areas ranged from 41.37 to 46.27%. Biuret content of the collected urea samples varied from 1.40 to 2.80%, where the maximum allowable limit (MAL) is 1.50%. Among the six urea samples, biuret content exceeded the MAL in five samples. Phosphorous (P) content in most of the triple superphosphate (TSP) samples was higher than the specified amount. Out of eight samples, only two samples contained less than 20% P. Out of eight diammonium phosphate (DAP) samples, only three samples contained lower amount of P than the specified amount and five samples contained lower amount of N than the specified amount. Chromium content in all the DAP samples were much higher than the MAL. Potassium (K) content in all five collected muriate of potash (MoP) samples were lower than the specified amount with an average of 45.81% K. The concentration of sulphur (S) in fertilizer samples in the investigated area varied from 16.50 to 21.60%. Out of six magnesium sulphate samples, five samples contained lower than the specified amount (9.5%) of Mg. The concentration of boron (B) in solubor samples varied from 13.55 to 19.56%, which are lower than the standard limit (20.90%). The concentration of zinc (Zn) in all the collected zinc sulphate heptahydrate samples had lower amount of Zn than the standard limit (23%). Only one out of six collected copper sulphate samples, met the specified limit of Cu (25.40%). Total 42 fertilizer samples (77.80%), out of 54, had less than the specified amount of nutrients. Heavy metals like Pb and Cr content exceeded the MAL in 67% and 47% of collected fertilizer samples, respectively. Cadmium content was below the detectable limit of flame in AAS in all the samples. In order to minimize the impact of fertilizer adulteration on food security and safety, continuous monitoring of fertilizer quality is required.

Status of metals in serum and urine samples of chronic kidney disease patients in a rural area of Bangladesh: an observational study

“…CKD has a signi cant association with elevated blood Cd levels, but less so with blood Pb and Hg [6]. Though Cd is one of the main factors for Chronic Renal Failure, according to Mohiuddin et al in the context of Bangladesh, Cr and Pb is much above permissible in fertilizers than, Cd which is almost always below the detection limit [9]. And in the case of people who have a history of smoking (in stacked years), cadmium accumulation is found proportional with the higher number of years [10].…”

“…It has been reported that fertilizers contain signi cant levels of heavy metals with potential nephrotoxic properties [9], which may ultimately result in loss of kidney functions [6,12,13]. Jayatilake et al have found evidence of greater inhibition of acetylcholinesterase among patients with chronic renal dysfunction in areas of a high prevalence of CKDu [14].…”

Status of metals in serum and urine samples of chronic kidney disease patients in a rural area of Bangladesh: An observational study

“…Though Cd is one of the main factors for Chronic Renal Failure, according to Mohiuddin et al. , in the context of Bangladesh, Cr and Pb are much above permissible in fertilizers than, Cd which is almost always below the detection limit ( Mohiuddin et al., 2017 ). Furthermore, in the case of people who have a history of smoking (in stacked years), cadmium accumulation is found proportional with the higher number of years ( Lewis et al., 1972 ).…”

“…It has been reported that fertilizers contain significant levels of heavy metals with potential nephrotoxic properties ( Mohiuddin et al., 2017 ), which may ultimately result in loss of kidney functions ( Barbier et al., 2005 ; Felley-Bosco and Diezi, 1987 ; Kim et al., 2015 ). Jayatilake et al., have found evidence of more significant inhibition of acetylcholinesterase among patients with chronic renal dysfunction in areas of a high prevalence of CKDu ( Jayatilake et al., 2013 ).…”

“…For MoP the content was 148.6–188.6 μg g −1 for Pb and 296–310 μg g −1 for Cr. For all the cases maximum allowable limit was 100 μg g −1 for Pb, 500 μg g −1 for Cr, and 10 μg g −1 for Cadmium (Cd) ( Mohiuddin et al., 2017 ). Another study done in several districts of Bangladesh (Faridpur (Sadar), Saltha, Gazipur Sadar, Mymensingh (Sadar), Bagha, Nawabganj (Sadar), Pabna, Baghmara, Gomostapur, Charghat) showed that daily intake of heavy metal of an adult male from those areas is 19.7 μg of Cd, 74.1 μg of Pb, 423 μg of Cr on average ( Jahiruddin et al., 2017 ).…”