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Effects of Soil pH and Mineral Nutrients on Cadmium Uptake by Rice Grain in the Pearl River Delta, China

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Abstract

Alluvial soils are rich in mineral nutrients, and contain high heavy metals, especially Cd. The interactions of mineral nutrients with Cd in soil-rice grain systems on natural condition of alluvial plain are highlighted in this study. 110 pairs of rice grain and soil (0–20 cm) samples from the Pearl River Delta were investigated and measured. The results indicated that pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, clay, Ca, Cd, Fe, Mn and Zn are the most important soil characteristics controlling Cd uptake by rice grain. There are synergetic interactions between Cd and mineral elements in the soils, and antagonistic interactions between them in the rice grains. It could provide useful information for the risk assessment of heavy metals in the soils of alluvial plain.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Project No. 2017YFD0800304), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 41773019) and the China Geological Survey Project (Project No. 12120113002300, DD20160323). We gratefully acknowledge Zong Qingxia, Zhang Shuang, Tang Yuanhe and Tao Lanchu for their sample collection and fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Haidian District, No. 29, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China

    Qingye Hou, Zhongfang Yang & Jiaxin Yuan

  2. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Junfeng Ji

  3. School of Science, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Tao Yu

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  1. Qingye Hou
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  2. Zhongfang Yang
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  3. Junfeng Ji
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  4. Tao Yu
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  5. Jiaxin Yuan
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Correspondence to Qingye Hou.

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Hou, Q., Yang, Z., Ji, J. et al. Effects of Soil pH and Mineral Nutrients on Cadmium Uptake by Rice Grain in the Pearl River Delta, China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 106, 99–108 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-020-03057-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-020-03057-8

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