Cadmium in potato and soybeans: Do phosphate fertilization and soil management systems play a role?

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 32 - 37
• Main Authors: Corguinha, Ana Paula Branco, Gonçalves, Veridiana Cardozo, Souza, Guilherme Amaral de, Lima, Willian Eduardo Amaral de, Penido, Evanise Silva, Pinto, Cesar Augusto Brasil Pereira, Francisco, Eros Artur Bohac, Guilherme, Luiz Roberto Guimarães
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Inc 01-08-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Crop rotation; Food analysis; Food composition; Food industries; Food safety; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Genetic variability; Hygiene and safety; Liming; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; Phosphate fertilizer; Risk assessment; Trace elements; Genetic variability; Crop rotation; Risk assessment; Liming; Trace elements; Food safety; Food composition; Phosphate fertilizer; Food analysis; Phosphates; Cadmium; Vegetables; Fertilization; Risk; Management; Soybean; Rotation; Heavy metal; Grain legume; Trace element; Potato; Soils; Tuber; Food
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2012.05.001

► Cadmium (Cd) contents in potato and soybean in Brazil were studied. ► Cd content in potato varied among cultivars and areas, remained mainly in peel. ► Cd content in soybean independent of the cropping system. ► Cd in studied crops is within Codex Alimentarius limits, and not a risk to human health. ► Cd in crops in soils with high rate of P fertilization not a risk to human health.
While it has been claimed that phosphate (P) fertilizers are essential for agriculture production, there is considerable debate regarding the safety of the cadmium (Cd) added to the soil in such fertilizers. Cadmium intake is a major concern in health risk assessments, and food ingestion represents a relevant route of exposure. Although the addition of P fertilizers might increase Cd contents in soils, its transfer to plants varies according to the management system. This work evaluated the Cd contents in potato cultivars receiving up to 560kgP2O5ha−1 and in soybeans cultivated under different management systems in soils with records of long-term applications of high doses of P fertilizers. Most of the Cd remained in the potato peels (23–781μgkg−1 dry weight – DW) rather than in the tuber (14–43μgkg−1DW), and its values varied among cultivars and different areas. For soybeans, the Cd grain contents varied from 10 to 30μgkg−1DW for the experiment with crop rotation and 23–38μgkg−1DW in the soils receiving different liming rates. All the Cd contents found for the studied crops are in accordance with the Codex Alimentarius guidelines.