IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i12p9190-d1165321.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rapid and Convenient Assessment of Trace Element Contamination in Agricultural Soils through Slurry-TXRF and Ecological Indices: The Ñuble Region, Chile as a Case Study

Author

Listed:
  • Guillermo Medina-González

    (Departamento de Química Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile)

  • Yelena Medina

    (Ingeniería EMO-LLS Ltda., Concepción 4030000, Chile)

  • Enrique Muñoz

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile
    Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables CIBAS, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile)

  • Patricio Fuentes

    (Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción 4030000, Chile)

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the applicability of the slurry-TXRF method for estimating background contents and ecological indices in a rapid and convenient way. For this reason, the agricultural soils of the Itata Valley were used as a case study, where 48 soil samples were collected and analyzed. This rapid, minimally sample-intensive, and simultaneous multi-element quantification technique presented high accuracy but lower precision (approx. 20% RSD) compared to the classic total reflection X-ray fluorescence and flame/graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry methods, which require sample digestion. Due to the analytical characteristics of Slurry-TXRF, it can be concluded that the lower precision is likely compensated for, and this method represents a valuable alternative for the rapid and efficient assessment of trace element contamination in agricultural soils. The regional median concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd in the Itata Valley surface soils were found to be 63.7, 9.57, 31.0, 41.1, and 0.56 mg kg −1 , respectively, with corresponding upper limits of 47.6, 6.82, 17.0, 30.7, and 0.284 mg kg −1 . The ecological indices, including the geoaccumulation index, contamination factor, enrichment factor, and degree of contamination, suggest moderate levels of contamination in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo Medina-González & Yelena Medina & Enrique Muñoz & Patricio Fuentes, 2023. "Rapid and Convenient Assessment of Trace Element Contamination in Agricultural Soils through Slurry-TXRF and Ecological Indices: The Ñuble Region, Chile as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9190-:d:1165321
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9190/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9190/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaoping Xin & Jiali Shentu & Tiequan Zhang & Xiaoe Yang & Virupax C. Baligar & Zhenli He, 2022. "Sources, Indicators, and Assessment of Soil Contamination by Potentially Toxic Metals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Uchenna Okereafor & Mamookho Makhatha & Lukhanyo Mekuto & Nkemdinma Uche-Okereafor & Tendani Sebola & Vuyo Mavumengwana, 2020. "Toxic Metal Implications on Agricultural Soils, Plants, Animals, Aquatic life and Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-24, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tingfei Gu & Xiaoqian Jia & Huifeng Shi & Xiaoli Gong & Jinxi Ma & Zhihang Gan & Zhixin Yu & Zhiwen Li & Yuan Wei, 2022. "An Evaluation of Exposure to 18 Toxic and/or Essential Trace Elements Exposure in Maternal and Cord Plasma during Pregnancy at Advanced Maternal Age," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Elżbieta Zawierucha & Monika Skowrońska & Marcin Zawierucha, 2022. "Chemical and Biological Properties of Agricultural Soils Located along Communication Routes," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-11, November.
    3. Xiuju Feng & Yunchen Zheng & Woraphon Yamaka & Jianxu Liu, 2024. "How Does Agricultural Green Transformation Improve Residents’ Health? Empirical Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Mirha Pazalja & Jasmina Sulejmanović & Sabina Begić & Mirsada Salihović, 2023. "Heavy metals content and health risk assessment of selected leafy plants consumed in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(4), pages 170-178.
    5. Arwa A. AL-Huqail & Pankaj Kumar & Ebrahem M. Eid & Bashir Adelodun & Sami Abou Fayssal & Jogendra Singh & Ashish Kumar Arya & Madhumita Goala & Vinod Kumar & Ivan Širić, 2022. "Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination in Soil and Two Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Varieties Irrigated with Paper Mill Effluent," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Liu, Yang & Wu, Ailing & Wang, Jianda & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Dong, Xiucheng, 2024. "Green growth in the global south: How does metallic minerals affect GTFP enhancement?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. José Cuevas & Ángel Faz & Silvia Martínez-Martínez & Juan Beltrá & José A. Acosta, 2024. "Integrated Assessment of Metal Contamination of Soils, Sediments, and Runoff Water in a Dry Riverbed from a Mining Area Under Torrential Rain Events," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, November.
    8. Jinbiao Li & Yangni Zhai & Guojian Ge & Yang Xu & Can Wang & Anyong Hu & Yujie Han & Nan Shan & Bo Liu & Jinlin Chen & Wenlin Wang, 2022. "Bacterial Community Composition and Function of Tropical River Ecosystem along the Nandu River on Hainan Island, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Florin Vaduva & Luiela Magdalena Csorba & Dan-Cristian Dabija & George Lăzăroiu, 2024. "The Impact of Public Policies and Civil Society on the Sustainable Behavior of Romanian Consumers of Electrical and Electronic Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Joshua O. Olowoyo & Ntebo Lion & Tshoni Unathi & Oluwaseun M. Oladeji, 2022. "Concentrations of Pb and Other Associated Elements in Soil Dust 15 Years after the Introduction of Unleaded Fuel and the Human Health Implications in Pretoria, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Tianpeng Gao & Haoming Wang & Changming Li & Mingbo Zuo & Xueying Wang & Yuan Liu & Yingli Yang & Danghui Xu & Yubing Liu & Xiangwen Fang, 2022. "Effects of Heavy Metal Stress on Physiology, Hydraulics, and Anatomy of Three Desert Plants in the Jinchang Mining Area, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-19, November.
    12. Shan Chen & Yuanzhao Ding, 2023. "Tackling Heavy Metal Pollution: Evaluating Governance Models and Frameworks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-12, November.
    13. Anna Świercz & Mirosław Szwed & Łukasz Bąk & Adam Gawlik & Jakub Zamachowski, 2023. "Assessment of Cultivated Soil Contamination by Potentially Toxic Metals as a Result of a Galvanizing Plant Failure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, June.
    14. Xiaoxian Yuan & Qiang Wang & Zhipu Wang & Sikai Wu & Yawei Zhai & Haibing Zhang & Lisong Zhou & Bei Lu & Kefan Chen & Xinwei Wang, 2023. "Optimization of Mixed-Based Biochar Preparation Process and Adsorption Performance of Lead and Cadmium," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    15. Faisal A. Osra & Moussa Sobh Elbisy & Hasan Abdullah Mosaıbah & Khalid Osra & Mirac Nur Ciner & H. Kurtulus Ozcan, 2024. "Environmental Impact Assessment of a Dumping Site: A Case Study of Kakia Dumping Site," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Gilvania Barreto Feitosa Coutinho & Maria de Fátima Ramos Moreira & Frida Marina Fischer & Maria Carolina Reis dos Santos & Lucas Ferreira Feitosa & Sayonara Vieira de Azevedo & Renato Marçullo Borges, 2023. "Influence of Environmental Exposure to Steel Waste on Endocrine Dysregulation and PER3 Gene Polymorphisms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-21, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9190-:d:1165321. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.