The Distribution of Trace Metals in Roadside Agricultural Soils, Thailand

Nattanan Krailertrattanachai, Daojarus Ketrot and Worachart Wisawapipat
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Nattanan Krailertrattanachai: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Daojarus Ketrot: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Worachart Wisawapipat: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: Vehicle emissions have been known to cause trace metal contamination in soils. The extent of such contaminations in soils, and of the effects of traffic density and distance from highways on the concentration of trace metals in roadside agricultural soils is largely unknown. This study examined the total concentrations of common trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in roadside agricultural soils from Thailand with diverse traffic densities (approximately 30–200 million vehicles/kilometer/year), roadside distances (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 m from the road edge), and crops (rice, maize, and sugarcane). Cadmium, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations significantly decreased with increasing distance away from the roads ( p < 0.05). However, the concentrations of these metals were not correlated with traffic density, probably due to extensive road maintenance and expansion. The contamination factor demonstrated that the road edge soils were moderately- to highly-polluted with Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. The safest distance to minimize metal pollution for agricultural production is proposed to be greater than 10 m away from the road edge.

Keywords: roadside agricultural soils; trace metals; distance from the road; contamination factor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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