First study on anthropogenic Pt, Pd, and Rh levels in soils from major avenues of S?o Paulo City, Brazil

Over the last years, investigations on the increase of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh) levels in urban environments of big cities all over the world - especially to catalytic converters emissions - have been grown up enormously. S?o Paulo City is the 6th largest megacity in the world having about 20 million inhabitants and an ever increasing seven million motor vehicle fleet. In spite of this, there has never been an investigation regarding Pt, Pd, and Rh levels in the city. In the present study, Pt, Pd, and Rh concentrations were determined in soils adjacent to seven main high-density traffic avenues in the metropolitan region of S?o Paulo City. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed - after ultrasound-assisted aqua regia leaching - as analytical technigue. The results showed concentration levels up to 378?ng?g^?1 for Pd, 208?ng?g^?1 for Pt, and 0.2 to 45?ng?g^?1 for Rh. These levels are much higher than those considered for the geochemical background of soils, indicating a catalytic converter source. Due to the different Pt/Pd/Rh ratio in Brazilian automobile catalytic converters, lower levels of Pt/Pd ratios compared with other similar studies were observed. The obtained results are the first data for monitoring Pt, Pd, and Rh pollution in S?o Paulo City soils.     

Solid-phase extraction of Mn(II) and slurry analysis of the sorbent by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

In this study, a challenging preconcentration/separation method based on the sorption of manganese on ethylene glycol dimethacrylatemethacrylic acid copolymer (EGDMA-MA) treated with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) and its slurry analysis by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was described. Optimum conditions for quantitative sorption, as well as for preparing a homogeneous and stable slurry were investigated. A 100-fold enrichment factor could be reached. The analyte element in certified sea-water and bovine-liver samples were determined in the range of 95% confidence level. The proposed technique is fast, simple, and the risk of contamination is low. The limit of detection of the method for manganese in the slurry of the blank subjected to the proposed procedure was 0.07 μg L^?1 (3δ, N:10) corresponding to 0.56 μg kg^?1 slurry.     

Sediment load and bioconcentration of heavy metals by shrimp (Peaneus notalis) from Epe Lagoon, Nigeria

In many developing countries, surface waters, especially rivers and lagoons, have become deposition sites for all sorts of wastes. Three sampling sites located trigonally on Epe lagoon, Lagos, Nigeria were identified, and water, sediment, and commonly farmed shrimp, Peaneus notalis, were sampled and assessed for heavy metal concentrations. Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Mn were determined in the aqua regia digests of the samples by means of Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 200 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Heavy metals occurred above detection limits at all sites. The highest load of these trace elements was found in sediment samples followed by the water samples. The levels observed in the shrimp samples, however, were much lower than WHO levels. In the distribution, zinc was the highest metal found in the samples ranging from 17.94 ± 2.60 mg/L in water to 37.85 ± 9.35 μg/g in sediments. The least was Cd 0.03 ± 0.01 mg/L in water and 0.28 ± 0.04 μg/g in sediments. Lead was the most widely varied metal in shrimp with a 84.38% coefficient of variation. Apart from Cr, the metals appeared to be fairly and evenly distributed in the sediment, with coefficient of variation ranging from 14.29% (Cd) to 24.76% (Mn) The variations were between 14.49% (Zn) and 66.67% (Cr) in the water samples. The paired t test carried out between water and sediment, water and shrimp, and shrimp and sediment was significant at p?=?0.05. Three-factor analysis of variance did not reveal any significant difference in metal burdens among the trigonally located sites under investigation. Shrimp samples showed evidence of bioaccumulation but are still below internationally established levels.     

Organochlorine pesticides in the surface water and sediments from the Peacock River Drainage Basin in Xinjiang, China: a study of an arid zone in Central Asia

Fourteen surface water and nine surface sediment samples were collected from the Peacock River and analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) by gas chromatograph?Celectron capture detector (GC-ECD). All the analyzed organochlorine pesticides, except o,p ^??-DDT, were detected in sediments from the Peacock River; but in the water samples, only ??-HCH, HCB, p,p ^??-DDD, and p,p ^??-DDT were detected at some sites. The ranges for total OCPs in the water and sediments were from N.D. to 195 ng l^???1 and from 1.36 to 24.60 ng g^???1, respectively. The only existing HCH isomer in the water, ??-HCH, suggested that the contamination by HCHs could be attributed to erosion of the weathered agricultural soils containing HCHs compounds. Composition analyses showed that no technical HCH, technical DDT, technical chlordanes, endosulfans, and HCB had been recently used in this region. However, there was new input of ??-HCH (lindane) into the Peacock River. The most probable source was water flowing from Bosten Lake and/or agricultural tailing water that was returned directly into the Peacock River. DDT compounds in the sediments may be derived mainly from DDT-treated aged and weathered agricultural soils, the degradation condition was aerobic and the main product was DDE. HCB in the sediment might be due to the input from Bosten Lake and the lake may act as an atmospheric deposition zone. There was no significant correlation between the concentrations of OCPs (including ??HCH, ??DDT, chlordanes, endosulfans, HCB and total OCPs) and the content of fine particles (<63 ??m). The concentrations of OCPs were affected by salinity.     

Application of zirconium–iridium permanent modifier for the simultaneous determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and nickel in atmospheric particulate matter by multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A novel and robust method for the simultaneous determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and nickel in atmospheric particulate matter by multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was developed, using zirconium–iridium coating as permanent modifier (140 μg Zr and 4 μg Ir). After 300 atomization cycles, it was necessary to add 2 μg of Ir. Due to the varying concentrations of Pb in atmospheric particulate matter, lead was monitored at two wavelengths, at the less sensitive line of 261.4 nm for high concentration samples (>20 μg?L^?1) or at 283.3 nm for the low concentration samples. Matrix-matched calibration had to be performed for quantitative recoveries (96–102 %). Following this approach, the four elements were determined in atmospheric particulate matter samples from an industrial area near the city of Athens in two different time periods (cold–warm) with limits of detection of 5.5 ng?m^?3 for Pb at 261.4 nm and 0.29 ng?m^?3 at 283.3 nm, 0.019 ng?m^?3 for Cd, 0.14 ng?m^?3 for As, and 0.22 ng?m^?3 for Ni. Lead, Cd, and As levels were very low, whereas Ni content was at comparable levels with other areas worldwide.     

微波消解石墨炉原子吸收法测定土壤和沉积物中的铍

以氯化钯为基体改进剂，采用微波消解石墨炉原子吸收法测定土壤和沉积物中的铍，优化了微波消解条件，考察了共存元素对测定的干扰。方法在0μg／L～4．00μg／L范围内线性良好，检出限为0．01μg／g（以取样质量0．2000g、定容体积50mL计），标准样品平行测定的RSD为3．5％～6．7％，实际样品的加标回收率为84．0％-113％。     

A simple extraction procedure for determination of total mercury in crude oil

The determination of mercury in crude oil and petroleum products is particularly difficult due to the volatile nature of both mercury and the matrix, which may lead to significant loss of the analyte. A simple extraction method for total mercury has been developed to determine total mercury in crude oil using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The homogenized crude oil sample was diluted to 5, 10, and 20 % (w/w) in toluene. The diluted crude oil samples were spiked with 10 and 40 μg/kg (w/w). The samples were extracted using an oxidant/acid solution, BrCl/HCl. The mercury was extracted into the aqueous phase; the ionic mercury was then reduced to volatile elemental mercury (Hg⁰) by stannous chloride (SnCl₂). The mercury vapor was detected by Merlin cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry at a 253.7-nm wavelength. The average recoveries for mercury in spiked diluted crude oil (10 and 40 μg/kg, w/w) were between 96 and 103 %, respectively, in 5 and 10 % spiked diluted crude oil. Whereas, low recoveries (<50 %) were recorded in 20 % diluted spiked crude oil. The method detection limit was calculated as t _{(0.01)(n ? 1)}?×?SD where t is the student's value for 99 % confidence level and standard deviation estimate with n???1 degrees of freedom. The method detection limit was found to be 0.38 μg/kg based on 5 g of diluted crude oil sample. The method is sensitive enough to determine low levels of mercury in crude oil.     

Determination of ultra-trace amounts of cadmium by ET-AAS after column preconcentration with a new sorbent of modified MWCNTs

The present research reports on the application of modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a new, easily prepared, and stable solid sorbent for the column preconcentration of ultra-trace amounts of cadmium in aqueous solution. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were oxidized with concentrated HNO₃ and modified with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol and then were used as a solid phase for the column preconcentration of Cd(II). Elution was carried out with 0.5 mol?L^?1 HNO₃. The amount of eluted Cd(II) was measured using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Various parameters such as pH, sample and eluent flow rate, eluent concentration, breakthrough volume, and interference of a great number of anions and cations on the retention of analyte on sorbent were studied. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.67 ng?L^?1 to 5.0 μg?L^?1 and the detection limit (3S_b, n?=?7) was 0.14 ng?L^?1 in initial solution. A preconcentration factor of 300 and relative standard deviations of ±3.6 % for seven successive determinations of 3 ng of Cd(II) were achieved. The column preconcentration was successfully applied to the analysis of river water, waste water, and Persian Gulf water sample.     

Voltammetric trace determination of mercury using plant refuse modified carbon paste electrodes

Citrus limon peel (kitchen waste) and Leucaena leucocephala seeds (agricultural waste) were used as a modifier for fabrication of modified carbon paste electrode for determination of mercury in aqueous sample using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. Mercury was adsorbed on electrode surface at open circuit and anodic stripping voltammetric scan was run from ?0.5 to 0.5 V. Various electrochemical parameters including amount of modifier, supporting electrolyte, accumulating solvent, pH of the accumulating solvent, and accumulation time were investigated. The effect of presence of other metal ions and surfactants was also studied. In comparison C. limon peel proved to be a better modifier than L. leucocephala seed biomass. This was justified by electrode characterization using cyclic voltammetry that indicated decrease in resistance of electrode when C. limon peel was used as modifier and increase when modifier was L. leucocephala seeds. Maximum current response was obtained using 5 % C. limon peel biomass, hydrochloric acid as supporting electrolyte, acetate buffer of pH 6 as an accumulating solvent, 10-min accumulation time, and scan rate of 50 mV/s. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range 100 to 1,000 μg L^?1 of mercury for accumulation time of 10 min with limit of detection of 57.75 μg L^?1 and limit of quantification of 192.48 μg L^?1. This technique does not use mercury as electrode material and, therefore, has a positive environmental benefit.     

Rapid spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of palladium in water samples after dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction

A simple, rapid, and efficient dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method, followed by UV–Vis spectrophotometry was developed for the preconcentration and determination of Pd ions in water samples. Pd ions react with α-furildioxime (chelating agent) to form a hydrophobic complex. Various parameters were altered to study and optimize their effects on the extraction efficiency, such as pH, ligand concentration, the type and volume of extraction and dispersive solvents, extraction time, and salt concentration. Under optimized conditions, the method exhibited an enrichment factor (C _org/C _aq) of 25 and recovery more than 98 % within a very short extraction time. The linearity of the method ranged from 10 to 200 μg?L^?1. The limit of detection was 1.1 μg?L^?1. The relative standard deviation for the concentration of 100 μg?L^?1 of Pd was 2.3 % (n?=?10). Finally, the developed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of Pd in tap, river, mineral, and sea water samples.     

Quantification of ultra-trace amounts of copper by using off-line solid phase extraction-flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination through the octadecyl silica-bonded phase membrane (OSPM) C18 disks impregnated with 2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(thio)]dianiline

This study reports a very selective, easy, and precise method for rapid separation of trace amounts of copper in aqueous samples using octadecyl silica-bonded phase membrane disks modified by 2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(thio)]dianiline (EDTD) combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination. In addition, the synthesis and spectral characterization of EDTD have been described in detail. All the affecting experimental variables such as pH, amount of modifier, eluent type, sample and eluent flow rate, interfering ions, and disk capacity were also investigated. The target analyte (trace copper) was quantitatively retained at pH?=?4 and eluted with 6.0 mL of 0.5 M HNO₃ at flow rates of 40 and 10 mL min^?1 for analyte passage and elution steps, respectively, through the disks modified with 17.0 mg of EDTD. The proposed method also allows an enrichment factor of about 500 and has a detection limit of 0.005 ng mL^?1. The method has been successfully applied for isolation and determination of copper in different water samples, peppers, and standard alloys.     

Organochlorine residual concentrations in cattle egret from the Punjab Province, Pakistan

In this study, residual concentration of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the sediments, prey, and eggs of Bubulcus ibis were measured from three breeding heronries from the Punjab province of Pakistan. Pattern of contamination in eggs followed the order: DDTs > HCHs > heptachlor > aldrin. Overall, pesticide residual concentrations were greater in eggs of cattle egrets collected from heronry on the River Ravi. Among HCHs, ??-HCH was more prevalent in eggs, whereas DDTs followed the order: DDD > DDE > p,p ^??-DDT > o,p ^??-DDT. Eggshell thinning was detected which showed negative relationship with residual concentration of DDE. In prey samples, residual concentration of POPs followed the order: DDTs > HCHs > dicofol > heptachlor; however, contamination pattern in sediments followed a slightly different order: DDTs > heptachlor > dicofol > HCHs > dieldrin > aldrin. Concentration of ??-HCH was more prevalent in sediments and comparatively greater concentrations of POPs were measured in sediments collected from the River Ravi. Dicofol was found for the very first time in the biological samples from Pakistan, and its concentration was measured as relatively high in eggs from heronry from the River Chenab. Residual concentrations measured in eggs were below the levels that could affect egret populations. Biomagnification of the total OCPs through the food chain was evident in three breeding heronries. The concentration of DDE measured in eggs of the cattle egret suggests the need for monitoring this contaminant in other bird species at different trophic levels.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from the Bizerte Lagoon,Tunisia: levels,sources, and toxicological significance

To assess the status of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in sediments from the Bizerte Lagoon (northern Tunisia), 18 surface sediment samples were collected in March 2011 and analyzed for 14 US Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs by high-performance liquid chromatography. The total concentrations of the 14 PAHs (ΣPAHs) ranged from 16.9 to 394.1 ng g^?1 dry weight (dw) with a mean concentration of 85.5 ng g^?1 dw. Compared with other lagoons, coasts, and bays in the world, the concentrations of PAHs in surface sediments of the Bizerte Lagoon are low to moderate. The PAHs’ composition pattern was dominated by the presence of four-ring PAHs (45.8 %) followed by five-ring (26.8 %) and three-ring PAHs (12.7 %). The PAH source analysis suggested that the main origin of PAHs in the sediments of the lagoon was mainly from pyrolytic sources. According to the numerical effect-based sediment quality guidelines of the USA, the levels of PAHs in the Bizerte Lagoon should not exert adverse biological effects. The total benzo[a]pyrene toxicity equivalent values calculated for the samples varied from 3.1 to 53.7 ng g^?1 dw with an average of 10.6 ng g^?1 dw.     

Cadmium background concentrations to establish reference quality values for soils of São Paulo State,Brazil

Proper assessment of soil cadmium (Cd) concentrations is essential to establish legislative limits. The present study aimed to assess background Cd concentrations in soils from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and to correlate such concentrations with several soil attributes. The topsoil samples (n?=?191) were assessed for total Cd contents and for other metals using the USEPA 3051A method. The background concentration was determined according to the third quartile (75th). Principal component analysis, Spearman correlation, and multiple regressions between Cd contents and other soil attributes (pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), clay content, sum of bases, organic matter, and total Fe, Al, Zn, and Pb levels) were performed. The mean Cd concentration of all 191 samples was 0.4 mg kg^?1, and the background concentration was 0.5 mg kg^?1. After the samples were grouped by parent material (rock origin) and soil type, the background Cd content varied, i.e., soils from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks harbored 1.5, 0.4, and 0.2 mg kg^?1 of Cd, respectively. The background Cd content in Oxisols (0.8 mg kg^?1) was higher than in Ultisols (0.3 mg kg^?1). Multiple regression demonstrated that Fe was primarily attributed to the natural Cd contents in the soils (R ²?=?0.79). Instead of a single Cd background concentration value representing all São Paulo soils, we propose that the concentrations should be specific for at least Oxisols and Ultisols, which are the primary soil types.     

Fast simultaneous determination of traces of Cu(II) and Co(II) in soils and sediments with the luminol/perborate chemiluminescent system

A flow injection analysis method based on ion chromatography and luminol chemiluminescence detection was used for the simultaneous determination of copper (II) and cobalt (II) trace levels in soils and sediments following microwave-assisted acid digestion. Detection was based on chemiluminescence (CL) of the luminol–perborate system in an alkaline medium, which is catalyzed by both transition metals. The concentration and pH of the eluent (oxalic acid) was found to affect CL intensities and retention times, both of which were inversely proportional to the oxalic acid concentration. The calibration curves for both metal ions were linear and allowed a limit of detection of 0.003 μg l^?1 for cobalt (II) and 0.014 μg l^?1 for cooper (II) to be calculated. The proposed method was successfully used to determine both metal ions in certified reference materials of stream and river sediments and soil samples. Based on the results, the determination is free of interferences from the usual concomitant ions.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from Urumqi, China: distribution, source contributions, and potential health risks

Concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 28 surface soils samples collected from Urumqi, northwest China, for examination of distributions, source contributions, and potential health effects. The results indicated that the sum of 16 PAHs concentration ranged from 331 to 15,799 μg?kg^?1 (dw) in soils, with a mean of 5,018?±?4,896 μg?kg^?1 (n?=?28). The sum of seven carPAHs concentration ranged from 4 to 1,879 μg?kg^?1 (dw; n?=?28). The highest ∑PAHs concentrations were found at roadsides and industrial sites, followed by those at parks, rural areas, and business/residential areas. Coal combustion, emission of diesel and gasoline from vehicles, and petroleum source were four sources of PAHs as determined by PMF analysis, which contributed 51.19, 19.02, 18.35, and 11.42 % to the PAH sources, respectively. Excellent coefficients of correlation between the measured and predicted PAHs concentrations suggested that the PMF model was very effective to estimate sources of PAHs in soils. Incremental lifetime cancer risk values at the 95th percentile due to human exposure to surface soils PAHs in Urumqi were 2.02?×?10^?6 for children and 2.72?×?10^?5 for adults. The results suggested that the current PAHs levels in soils from Urumqi were pervasive and moderately carcinogenic to children and adults.     

Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (DDT and HCH) in sediments from the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, China

Sediments used in this study were selected from 23 stations in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and its tributaries in November 2005. The levels and distribution patterns of selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs = p,p ^′-DDT, o,p ^′-DDT, p,p ^′-DDE, p,p ^′-DDD, α-, β-, γ-, and δ-HCH) in samples were investigated by analysis of gas chromatography coupled with micro-electronic capture detector. Concentration of OCPs in the sediments from the Yellow River ranged from 0.05 to 5.03 ng g^???1 (mean, 1.02 ng g^???1) for ∑DDT, 0.09–12.89 ng g^???1 (mean, 1.08 ng g^???1) for ∑HCH. The concentration distribution of ∑DDT and ∑HCH varied significantly with different sampling station, indicating their different contamination sources. Composition analyses demonstrated that residues of DDTs in sediments came from the previous inputs of organochlorine pesticides, while β-HCH and γ-HCH significantly dominated in the sediments for HCHs.     

Effect of citric acid on metals mobility in pruning wastes and biosolids compost and metals uptake in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atriplex halimus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis>

To assess metal mobility in pruning waste and biosolids compost (pH?6.9 and total concentration of metals in milligram per kilogram of Cd 1.9, Cu 132, Fe 8,513, Mn 192, Pb 81, and Zn 313), shrubs species Atriplex halimus and Rosmarinus officinalis were transplanted in this substrate and irrigated with citric acid (4 g?L^?1, pH?2.9) and nutrient solution daily for 60 days. Citric acid significantly increased the concentrations of soluble Mn and Fe in the nutrient substrate solution measured by suction probes, while other metals did not vary in concentration (Cu and Zn) or were not observed at detectable levels (Cd and Pb). In plants, citric acid significantly increased the concentrations of Cu (2.7?±?0.1–3.3?±?0.1 mg?kg^?1), Fe (49.2?±?5.2–76.8?±?6.8 mg?kg^?1), and Mn (7.2?±?1.1–11.4?±?0.7 mg?kg^?1) in leaves of R. officinalis, whereas the concentration of only Mn (25.4?±?0.3–42.2?±?2.9 mg?kg^?1) was increased in A. halimus. Increasing Fe and Mn solubility by citric acid addition indicates the possibility of using it to improve plant nutrition. The mobility of metals in this substrate was influenced for the concentration of the metal, the degree of humification of organic matter and its high Fe content.     

Development and application of microwave assisted extraction (MAE) for the extraction of five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment samples in Johannesburg area, South Africa

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method was verified and applied for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples. Soxhlet extraction was used as the reference method. The optimum MAE was carried out with 20 mL of hexane/acetone (1:1, v/v) mixture in a 1-g sample at 250 W for 20 min. Soxhlet extraction was carried out with 250 mL of dichloromethane:hexane (1:1, v/v) mixture in a 15-g sample for 24 h in a water bath maintained at 60 °C. The collected extracts were both cleaned up, reduced to 1 mL under nitrogen and then injected into an HPLC fluorescence. To increase the sample throughput, simultaneous MAE was performed. The obtained percentage recoveries ranged from 61 to 93 and 88–98 for MAE and SE, respectively. The optimised MAE method was validated using certified reference material. It was then applied to real sediment samples from in and around the greater Johannesburg area. The sediments from Jukskei River were found to be the most polluted while Hartbeespoort Dam sediments were found to be least polluted. The overall order of concentrations for the studied PAHs per site was as follows: Jukskei River?>?Kempton Park?>?Centurion Dams?>?Natalspruit River (PIT)?>?Hartbeespoort Dam.     

EDTA-enhanced phytoremediation of contaminated calcareous soils: heavy metal bioavailability,extractability, and uptake by maize and sesbania

Natural and chemically enhanced phytoextraction potentials of maize (Zea mays L.) and sesbania (Sesbania aculeata Willd.) were explored by growing them on two soils contaminated with heavy metals. The soils, Gujranwala (fine, loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Udic Haplustalf) and Pacca (fine, mixed, hyperthermic Ustollic Camborthid), were amended with varying amounts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelating agent, at 0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 mM kg^?1 soil to enhance metal solubility. The EDTA was applied in two split applications at 46 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). The plants were harvested at 75 DAS. Addition of EDTA significantly increased the lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in roots and shoots, uptake, bioconcentration factor, and phytoextraction rate over the control. Furthermore, addition of EDTA also significantly increased the soluble fractions of Pb and Cd in soil over the controls; the maximum increase of Pb and Cd was 13.1-fold and 3.1-fold, respectively, with addition of 5.0 mM EDTA kg^?1soil. Similarly, the maximum Pb and Cd root and shoot concentrations, translocation, bioconcentration, and phytoextraction efficiency were observed at 5.0 mM EDTA kg^?1 soil. The results suggest that both crops can successfully be used for phytoremediation of metal-contaminated calcareous soils.