The Dynamic Growth Exhibition and Accumulation of Cadmium of Pak Choi ( Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis ) Grown in Contaminated Soils

Hung-Yu Lai and Bo-Ching Chen
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Hung-Yu Lai: Department of Post-Modern Agriculture, MingDao University, No. 369, Wenhua Rd., Peetow, Changhua County 52345, Taiwan
Bo-Ching Chen: Department of Post-Modern Agriculture, MingDao University, No. 369, Wenhua Rd., Peetow, Changhua County 52345, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: The accumulation of heavy metals, especially cadmium (Cd), in leafy vegetables was compared with other vegetables. Pak choi ( Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis ) is a leafy vegetable consumed in Taiwan and its safety for consumption after growing in contaminated soils is a public concern. A pot experiment (50 days) was conducted to understand the dynamic accumulation of Cd by pak choi grown in artificially contaminated soils. The edible parts of pak choi were sampled and analyzed every 2–3 days. The dry weight (DW) of pak choi was an exponential function of leaf length, leaf width, and chlorophyll content. The accumulation of Cd increased when the soil Cd concentration was raised, but was kept at a constant level during different growth stages. Pak choi had a high bioconcentration factor (BCF = ratio of the concentration in the edible parts to that in the soils), at values of 3.5–4.0. The consumption of pak choi grown in soils contaminated at levels used in this study would result in the ingestion of impermissible amounts of Cd and could possibly have harmful effects on health.

Keywords: bioconcentration factor (BCF); cadmium (Cd); dynamic accumulation; pak choi (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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