Toxicity Thresholds Based on EDTA Extractable Nickel and Barley Root Elongation in Chinese Soils

Guangyun Zhu, Bao Jiang, Guohang Yang, Jumei Li and Yibing Ma
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Guangyun Zhu: School of Resources and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
Bao Jiang: Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, China
Guohang Yang: School of Resources and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
Jumei Li: Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, China
Yibing Ma: Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: The uncertainty in the risk assessment of trace metal elements in soils when total metal contents are used can be decreased by assessing their availability and/or extractability when the soils have a high background value or different sources of trace metal elements. In this study, the added water-soluble nickel (Ni) toxicity to barley root elongation was studied in 17 representative Chinese soil samples with and without artificial rainwater leaching. The extractability of added Ni in soils was estimated by three sequential extractions with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The results showed that the effective concentration of EDTA extractable Ni (EC 50 ), which caused 50% inhibition of barley root elongation, ranged from 46 to 1019 mg/kg in unleached soils and 24 to 1563 mg/kg in leached soils. Regression models for EDTA extractable Ni and total Ni added to soils against soil properties indicated that EDTA extractable Ni was significantly correlated with the total Ni added to soils and that pH was the most important control factor. Regression models for toxicity thresholds based on EDTA extractable Ni against soil properties showed that soil citrate dithionate extractable Fe was more important than soil pH in predicting Ni toxicity. These results can be used to accurately assess the risk of contaminated soils with high background values and/or different Ni sources.

Keywords: EDTA; nickel; risk assessment; soil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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