Multidisciplinary study of chemical and biological factors related to Pb accumulation in sorghum crops grown in contaminated soils and their toxicological implications

BLANCO A; SALAZAR M.J; VERGARA CID C; PEREYRA C; CAVAGLIERI L; BECERRA A; PIGNATA M.L; RODRIGUEZ J.H

JOURNAL OF GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 166 p. 18 - 26

0375-6742

In this study, the content of Pb, the physico-chemical and biological parameters in soils, and the metal transfer to vegetative and reproductive Sorghum bicolor plantswere evaluated alongwith their relationshipwith the toxicologicalrisk of crop consumption. To carry this out, soil and sorghumsamples at different growth stageswere collected near to a former battery recycling plant. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb in soils at severalsites were above the maximum permissible levels. Metal bioavailability was not directly related to the pH, OM% or EC,while no association between metals and the different genera of fungiwas observed. Sorghum crops accumulatedPb mainly in the roots in all of the growth stages, and therefore presented lowlevels of Pb in aerial parts without toxicological risk due to direct consumption. Taken together, our results revealed that sorghumcould beemployed as a potential phytostabilizator of lead in soils associatedwith crop production. However, further studies are necessary to extend these findings.