Behavior and phytotoxicity of inorganic arsenicals in soils
This paper reviewed the relationship between arsenic sorption and soil properties and the possible mechanisms of As sorption in soils; various soil test methods in terms of their ability to predict As uptake and phytotoxicity; relationships between soil As and plant uptake which result in phytotoxicity and potential hazards to humans or animals consuming plants grown on soils containing high levels of As; and methods of ameliorating As toxicity. Reports have indicated that As is more toxic on coarse-textured than on fine texured clay soils. Sorption of As by soils is time dependent. Soil ''unproductiveness'' due to arsenical poisoning results from heavy application of arsenical pesticides. Arsenic is not an essential plant nutrient but occasionally small yield increases have been observed at low levels of As, especially for tolerant crops such as potatoes, corn, rye, and wheat. Plants vary considerably in their tolerance to high levels of soil As. Very tolerant plants included: asparagus, potato, tomato, carrot, tobacco, dewberry, grapes, and red raspberry. Bioaccumulation of As is hazardous to human beings and animals because of toxicity and its possible relationship to cancer, artereosclerosis, and chronic liver diseases. The edible portion of plants seldom accumulates a hazardous level of As, primarily because most plants are sensitive to As toxicity and growth is usually severely reduced before a level of As hazardous to man or animals accumulate in the plant. Several approaches have been tried to restore As-contaminated soils to the optimal level of production. One method involved adding phosphate to the system to depress the uptake of arsenate by the plant. The soil was also amended with Fe or Al salts. Deep Plowing to dilute the As concentration seemed to be the most economical method. Leaching of the soil was a viable approach also. 62 references, 7 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
- OSTI ID:
- 6547048
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-740955-
- Journal Information:
- ACS Symp. Ser.; (United States), Vol. 7; Conference: 168. national meeting of American Chemical Society, Atlantic City, NJ, USA, 8 Sep 1974
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARSENIC
TOXICITY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GLYCINE HISPIDA
HEALTH HAZARDS
LAND POLLUTION
LEACHING
MAIZE
MAN
PEAS
PHASEOLUS
PLANT GROWTH
POTATOES
ROOT ABSORPTION
SOILS
SORPTION
TOLERANCE
YIELDS
ABSORPTION
ANIMALS
CEREALS
DATA
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
FOOD
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
HAZARDS
INFORMATION
LEGUMINOSAE
MAMMALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TUBERS
UPTAKE
VEGETABLES
VERTEBRATES
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
560306 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)