Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Thallium in soil-cotton system in sewage irrigated soils of the North China Plain

Author(s):

Qiang Li, Ye Zhao ^*, Zhifan Chen, Jiejuan Qiao

Recieved Date: 2010-01-17, Accepted Date: 2010-04-05

Abstract:

This study investigated the soil-cotton system of a sewage irrigated area in a contiguous area of Hebei and Tianjin, located in the northern part of the North China Plain. A plow layer soil sample, a soil profile sample and whole cotton plant samples were collected from different sampling areas, and the contents and chemical speciation of thallium (Tl) in the soil samples and the content of Tl in different tissues of the cotton plant were determined using HR-ICP. The results showed that 1) the contents of Tl in the different soil layers were in the order: 0-20 cm > 20-40 cm > 40-60 cm, which indicated that Tl was primarily accumulated in topsoil; 2) in topsoil, the content of Tl was in the range of 0.257-0.420 mg kg^-1, and more organic matter bound indicated that the organic content increased in the topsoil due to long-term sewage irrigation, which resulted in Tl accumulation in the topsoil; 3) in the different cotton tissues, the content of Tl was between 3.5 and 78.6 µg kg^-1, and the distribution of Tl was in the order: root > shell > stem > seed > fiber. This research showed that Tl was distributed in different ecological compartments of the soil-cotton system in the sewage irrigated area, such as topsoil, roots, stems and shells of cotton; the average absorption coefficients of Tl in the whole plant and in the roots were 10.20% and 22.84%, respectively. Therefore, heavy metal absorption by cotton slowed down the accumulation of Tl in soil. Cotton planting is an effective method in preventing Tl contamination of soil, which decreases the potential risk of heavy metal pollution.

Keywords:

Sewage irrigated soils, soil-cotton system, thallium, phytoextraction

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2010
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 899-903

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :