Problems and prospectus of utilization of sewage and industrial wastewaters in agriculture

The basic objective of this study was to compile the available information on the composition of sewage and industrial wastewaters in India and their effect on soil–plant health upon their use in agricultural fields. The composition of sewage water is quite variable depending upon the contributing source, mode of collection, and treatment provided. The composition of sewage water varied from site to site which was in accordance with the type of industries present in that area. Continuous use of sewage and industrial wastewater irrigation recorded improvement in water retention, hydraulic conductivity, organic C and build-up of available N, P, K, micronutrient status, and soil microbial count. The electrical conductivity although increased due to sewage irrigation, it was within the tolerance limit to cause any soil salinity hazard. The toxic metals like Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni were found to be accumulated in soil and plant due to long-term use of sewage and industrial wastewater irrigation. The concentration of these metals was higher in leafy vegetables than in grain crops. This warrants the potential hazard to soil–plant health suggesting necessity of their safe use after pretreatment as a cheap potential alternative source of plant nutrients in agriculture.     

青海湖区紫花针茅草原封育导致的土壤养分时空变化特征

封育导致的生态系统恢复会体现在土壤恢复.以不同封育年限的青海湖区紫花针茅草原为对象,研究封育导致的土壤养分时空变化特征.结果表明:同一样地速效氮、速效磷和速效钾都表现为表层含量最高,显著高于第Ⅱ层,下面几层之间差异不显著;封育对速效养分含量影响不同,对速效钾含量影响不大,而速效磷含量大多显著提高,封育样地速效氮含量稍微高于对照样地.全量养分相比较,封育对土壤全钾和全磷含量影响不大,随土层加深全氮含量降低,封育导致土壤表层全氮含量升高(提高了19.9%).有机质含量随土层加深而降低,长期封育导致土壤有机质含量增加.相关分析表明,速效钾和全钾含量之间相关不显著,速效磷和全磷、速效氮和全氮含量都表现出显著相关,有机质和全量养分之间只有全氮表现出了显著相关.封育后土壤pH值略有升高;随着土层加深,土壤容重升高,但土壤容重变化不大.封育使草原土壤养分含量增加,但是养分的增加是一个非常缓慢的过程,对草原的保护还需继续加强.     

硫氮沉降下西北荒漠煤矿区周边土壤性质的变化特点

近年来中国大部分区域大气硫、氮沉降速率趋于平稳甚至下降,但西北地区煤炭行业的快速发展使得硫、氮沉降速率加快.燃煤电厂作为酸前体物的主要排放源之一,在其周围开展硫、氮沉降效应研究,可为合理评价煤矿区大气污染物控制措施的实施效果提供数据支撑.该文以宁东能源化工基地3个燃煤电厂为采样点,研究了电厂周围土壤化学和生物学性质的变...     

Physiological and metabolic effect of mercury accumulation in higher plants system

Heavy metals, lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are non-essential elements. Plants absorb these metals from soil, water and air through their roots and leaves. Heavy metals are the major environmental pollutants, which spread to soil through the use of pesticides, herbicides and micronutrient fertilizers, industrial effluents, decay of junk materials and sewage sludge, vehicular emissions, re-suspended road dust, diesel generator sets and coal-based thermal power plants. Sewage and sludge have contributed to heavy metal contamination of peri-urban lands and vegetable crops. The present review focuses on the effects of various concentrations of Hg on growth of young and mature seedlings as well as on nitrate reductase activity and nitrate assimilation in intact and excised seedling, especially the mechanism underlying nitrate reductase regulation by this heavy metal. Evidence indicates that mercury exerts significant adverse effects on the physiological activity of plants.     

Diversity of root associated microorganisms of selected medicinal plants and influence of rhizomicroorganisms on the antimicrobial property of Coriandrum sativum

The total heterotrophic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungus were enumerated from the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil of 50 selected locally available medicinal plants in and around Bharathiar University. In all the plants, population of microorganism were higher in the rhizosphere soil than in the non rhizosphere soil. Among the microorganisms, bacterial population was higher in number followed by fungus and actinomycetes. Of the medicinal plants, the maximum rhizosphere effect was observed in Annona squamosa and the minimum effect was seen in Eclipta alba and Cassia auriculata. Among the bacteria the dominant species was Bacillus followed by Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus and Serratia. The Streptomyces species was found to be dominant followed by Deuteromycetes and Frankia among the actinomycetes. Among the fungal isolates Rhizopus was found to be higher in number followed by Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor and Fusarium. About 70.96% of the bacterial isolates were found to be nitrate reducers and 90.60% of the bacteria solubilised phosphate. The rhizosphere bacterial isolates were also capable of hydrolyzing starch, cellulose, casein, urea and gelatin. The isolates of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungus were also able to produce phytohormone Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The maximum IAA production was recorded by Fusarium sp (5.8 mg/l). The rhizosphere bacterial isolates showed resistance to 14 commercially used antibiotics. In an attempt to check the influence of these plant growth promoting microorganisms on the antimicrobial property of Coriandrum sativum against Escherichia coli MTCC-443 and Aeromonas hydrophila MTCC-646, the results observed was not encouraging since the inoculants did not influence the antibacterial property. However extensive and in depth study is required to find out the influence of rhizomicroorganisms on the antibacterial property of medicinal plants. The other results clearly indicated that the rhizosphere microorganisms could be exploited for its innumerable properties and active metabolites.     

Heavy metals in soils and crops in Southeast Asia

In a reconnaisance soil geochemical and plant survey undertaken to study the heavy metal uptake by major food crops in Malaysia, 241 soils were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon (C), pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and available phosphorus (P) using appropriate procedures. These soils were also analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) using aqua regia digestion, together with 180 plant samples using nitric acid digestion. Regression analysis between the edible plant part and aqua regia soluble soil As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations sampled throughout Peninsular Malaysia, indicated a positive relationship for Pb in all the plants sampled in the survey (R2 = 0.195, p < 0.001), for Ni in corn (R2 = 0.649, p < 0.005), for Cu in chili (R2 = 0.344, p < 0.010) and for Zn in chili (R2 = 0.501, p < 0.001). Principal component analysis of the soil data suggested that concentrations of Co, Ni, Pb and Zn were strongly correlated with concentrations of Al and Fe, which is suggestive of evidence of background variations due to changes in soil mineralogy. Thus the evidence for widespread contamination of soils by these elements through agricultural activities is not strong. Chromium was correlated with soil pH and EC, Na, S, and Ca while Hg was not correlated with any of these components, suggesting diffuse pollution by aerial deposition. However As, Cd, Cu were strongly associated with organic matter and available and aqua regia soluble soil P, which we attribute to inputs in agricultural fertilisers and soil organic amendments (e.g. manures, composts).     

Soil physicochemical properties of Pinus tabuliformis plantations of different ages in Yanqing,Beijing北大核心CSCD

Soil physicochemical properties are important parameters to characterize soil quality. To evaluate the effects of different stand ages from young to mature on the soil physicochemical properties of Pinus tabulaeformis plantations, four different aged P. tabulaeformis plantations (14, 28, 36, and 51-year old) were investigated in Yanqing district, Beijing, China. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm, to analyze the effect of soil depth on soil physicochemical indexes. With increasing soil depth, the soil moisture content, water holding capacity, and porosity decreased gradually, but pH value increased. There was no significant difference in soil bulk density (BD) between different soil depths. Organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content also decreased gradually with increasing soil depth, but there was no uniform change in electrical conductivity (EC). With the growth and development of P. tabulaeformis plantations, the soil moisture content, water holding capacity, and porosity of the same depth increased gradually, but pH value decreased. The difference in BD between different ages was not significant. The OM, N, and P content showed an increasing trend with increasing stand age. The K content in 14 a and 28 a plantations was significantly higher than that in 36 a and 51 a plantations. EC was the highest in 51 a plantations. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between BD and water characteristics, porosity. There was a significant positive correlation between OM and N, P. The negative correlation between OM and pH reached a significant level at P < 0.01. OM was negatively correlated with BD, total potassium (TK, P < 0.05) and available potassium (AK, P > 0.05). Therefore, the soil physicochemical properties of P. tabulaeformis plantations improved with increasing stand age. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the management of P. tabulaeformis plantations in Beijing, such as thinning, fertilization management, and mixed forest forestation. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Soil metabolic pulses: water, substrate, and biological regulation

Pulses of metabolic activity are a common ecological response to intermittently available resources, and in soils these pulses often occur in response to wetting. To better understand variation in soil pulses, we conducted a distributed field experiment at seven sites along a 2200-m elevation transect in southern California, USA. Treatments included both water and water + substrate additions and two measurements of soil respiration within one hour. These experiments were repeated 11 times throughout 2009-2010. Additions of substrate led to consistently higher pulse fluxes, exceeding 10 micromol CO2 x m(-2( x s(-1), than additions of water alone. These results support a sequential limitation by two resources where an initial limiting resource acts as a switch and, after activation, processes are regulated by a second resource. In contrast to general expectations of increasing pulses with higher soil organic matter (SOM), pulses exhibited strong scale dependencies. Pulses during the summer period and SOM were correlated positively within sites and negatively between sites. This cross-scale divergence implies that, at low elevations, the proportion of SOM available for pulse metabolism was a much larger fraction than at higher elevations. With expected climate changes leading to more frequent drying-wetting cycles, regulation of metabolic pulses will increasingly influence long-term biogeochemical dynamics.     

中新生态城土壤质量现状及改良利用途径

对中新生态城区域内土壤的紧实度、有机质、碱解氮、土壤盐分、酸碱度、地表水、地下水进行了调查取样分析,结果表明该区土壤容重在1.3～1.7g/cm3,有机质含量大多为中等或低水平（5.5～19.1g/kg）,速效氮与土壤有机质含量相关性达显著水平（r=0.98）。盐分垂直分布上表现为果园、农田土壤盐分含量小于1.5g/kg,荒地和水库含量在5.0～6.4g/kg之间,垫土区、养殖池和盐场盐池土壤通体盐分含量高（大于10g/kg）,且存在表聚现象,超出了一般植物生长的极限。土壤酸碱度为7.81～9.05,水库、养殖池、盐场、荒地、沟塘水的矿化度均在10g/L以上,蓟运河水和农田沟渠为5000mg/L～8500mg/L,果园灌溉水的矿化度也在2000mg/L以上,地下水矿化度高,埋藏浅。并针对以上特点提出其土壤改良利用途径和绿化建设模式。     

包膜控释和常用氮肥氮素淋溶特征及其对土水质量的影响

大量施用氮素化肥所引起的氮素损失和环境污染正日益受到重视。通过土柱模拟氮素养分的淋洗试验,探讨包膜控释氮肥和常用氮肥的氮素淋失特点及其对土壤和地下水质量的影响。研究结果表明,不同氮肥施入土壤后氮素的淋失率有着显著的差异,其中硝酸钾中氮素淋失率最高,其次为尿素,硫酸铵和碳铵的氮素淋失量明显较小。然而控释氮肥因其控制释放的特点,在氮素释放的高峰期,其模拟淋失量较高,但如果在田间条件下此释放高峰期与作物吸肥高峰期相吻合,则会显著地降低其淋失率。除尿素外,被淋失的氮素均以硝态氮为主,尿素则以酰胺分子态被淋溶。大量速效化肥的施入会形成土壤中的肥料"微域点",引起交换性Ca2+、Mg2+离子的淋失,从长远来看可引起土壤结构的破坏,而施用控释肥则很少形成这种"微域点",有利于土壤结构和肥力的维持。不同氮肥处理淋洗后对土壤pH值和有效氮含量变化的影响差异较大,其中以控释肥对土壤pH值变化的影响较小。大多数氮肥处理在淋洗后,土壤中各层速效氮含量较淋洗前有所降低,然而两种控释氮肥处理的土壤表层却能持续保持较高的有效氮含量。     

The Impact of the Hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake. Part I: Concentrations of Elements in Crops and Soil

In Asembagus (East Java, Indonesia) irrigation water is contaminated with effluent from the hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake resulting in a low pH and high levels of various elements. As a first step towards a risk assessment, locally produced food items (rice, maize, cassava leaf, cassava root, peanuts) were collected and concentrations of As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn were compared to samples from a reference area and with literature values. Further, concentrations in rice were compared to total soil concentrations in paddy fields. Compared to the reference area, food items produced in the contaminated area had increased levels of Cd, Co, Ni and Mn in particular, while levels of Mo were lower. In contrast, total soil concentrations of Cd and Mn in particular have decreased whereas especially Mo was increased. In combination with the observed soil acidification, it is likely that the bioavailable concentration of most elements in the contaminated soil is higher (except for Mo) due to an increased weathering rate and/or input via the contaminated irrigation water. In terms of human health, concentrations in foods were generally within normal literature values. However, it was observed that essential elements (in particular Fe) known for their inhibitory effects on e.g. Cd and Mn toxicity did not accumulate in crops whereas Cd and Mn did.     

Characteristics of soil micro-and macro-arthropods and soil properties in Songnen Grassland of China during different periods of freeze–thaw season

ABSTRACT

Soil properties have an important influence on soil fauna in the grassland ecosystem. However, the relationship between the structural characteristics of soil fauna and properties in the grassland ecosystem in freeze–thaw season remains unclear. Hence, the feature of soil arthropods and properties in Songnen Grassland of China were investigated in fall–winter alternating (T1), completely frozen (T2) and winter–spring alternating periods (T3) during freeze–thaw season in three years. Results showed slight differences in the community composition of soil animals with Oribatida, Prostigmata and Mesostigmata as co-dominant groups in all sampling periods. The total number of individuals of soil arthropod at low temperature was low. The pH value, electrical conductivity (EC), and moisture content had the same order of T3?>?T2?>?T1. The activities of invertase and urease increased with increasing soil temperature, whereas protease activity had no relationship with soil temperature, soil moisture, EC and soil organic matter (SOM), activities of protease and urease were principal factors affecting individual abundance of soil animals. The sequence of their effect degrees was moisture content > EC > SOM > protease activity > urease activity. The changes in the quantitative characteristics of soil animals were related to soil properties. Therefore, soil properties can affect the structural characteristics of soil arthropod in the Songnen Grassland of China in the freeze–thaw season.     

Transport of the insecticides chlorpyrifos,chlorfenvinphos, carbofuran,carbosulfan, and furathiocarb from soil into the foliage of cauliflower and Brussels sprouts plants grown in the field

In several field assays made in different locations in 1988 and 1989, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts plants were treated some days after plantation by pouring onto soil around the stem of the plant one of the insecticides chlorpyrifos, chlorfenvinphos, carbofuran, carbosulfan, or furathiocarb, for protection against the root fly. During plant growth, each of the insecticides (and their soil metabolites) was transported from soil into the plant foliage, where it could give—during a certain period of time—a secondary plant protection against the foliage insects. The foliage concentrations of the non systemic chlorpyrifos and chlorfenvinphos were equal or greater than 1 mg/kg fresh weight during a period of about 44 days after soil treatment in Brussels sprouts crops, and 35 days in cauliflower crops. Comparison of 1988 and 1989 however showed that these periods of time changed according to the weather conditions, especially rainfall. These periods of time were greater when the insecticide soil concentrations were greater—and thus when the rates of insecticide soil metabolism were smaller— and when the rainfall were greater—water transporting the insecticides from soil to the foliage. Similar relationships were observed with the systemic insecticides carbofuran, carbosulfan and furathiocarb; the weights per plant of insecticide compounds transported from soil into the foliage however were greater with these systemic insecticides than they were with the non systemic chlorpyrifos and chlorfenvinphos. The extreme values observed for the periods of time of insecticide foliage concentrations equal or greater than 1 mg/kg fresh weight thus were: 1. in cauliflower crops: 21 to 36 days for chlorpyrifos, and 23 to 39 days for chlorpyrifos + oxon; 24 to 37 days for chlorfenvinphos; 20 to 48 days for carbofuran; 2. in Brussels sprouts crops: 43 to 49 days for chlorpyrifos; 47 to 53 days for chlorpyrifos + oxon; 41 to 45 days for chlorfenvinphos; between 2 to 3 months for carbofuran, carbofuran + carbosulfan, and carbofuran + furathiocarb in the fields treated respectively with either carbofuran, carbosulfan, or furathiocarb. Moreover, in the spring and summer cauliflower crops made on fields onto which continuous cauliflower crops—with their soil insecticide treatments—had been made since a greater number of years (greater soil “history”), the insecticide compounds soil and foliage concentrations generally were lower.     

Arsenic bioaccumulation in rice and edible plants and subsequent transmission through food chain in Bengal basin: a review of the perspectives for environmental health

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that poses serious environmental threats due to its behemoth toxicity and wide abundance. The use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater for irrigation purpose in crop fields elevates arsenic concentration in surface soil and in the plants. In many arsenic-affected countries, including Bangladesh and India, rice is reported to be one of the major sources of arsenic contamination. Rice is much more efficient at accumulating arsenic into the grains than other staple cereal crops. Rice is generally grown in submerged flooded condition, where arsenic bioavailability is high in soil. As arsenic species are phytotoxic, they can also affect the overall production of rice, and can reduce the economic growth of a country. Once the foodstuffs are contaminated with arsenic, this local problem can gain further significance and may become a global problem, as many food products are exported to other countries. Large-scale use of rainwater in irrigation systems, bioremediation by arsenic-resistant organisms and hyperaccumulating plants, and the aerobic cultivation of rice are some possible ways to reduce the extent of bioaccumulation in rice. Investigation on a complete food chain is urgently needed in the arsenic-contaminated zones, which should be our priority in future researches.     

Cd和Cu在草甸棕壤-植物系统中行为特性的研究

在沈阳生态站开展了重金属迁移积累行为特性的试验研究，探讨了不同重金属元素在土壤及作物体内迁移积累变化规律。外源重金属元素Cd、Cu施入土壤后，无论是低剂量还足高剂量处理，水田土壤Cd元素已迁移到45cm的深度，而Cu元素迁移到30cm的深度。早田土壤低剂量和高剂量处理Cd迁移到30cm，而Cu元素只有高剂量处理迁移到30cm的深度。土壤Cd、Cu元素向下层迁移的量微乎其微，重金属元素大多滞留在土壤表层。水稻、玉米吸收的Cd大部分积累在作物体的根和茎叶中，而Cu大部分积累在作物体的根系中，Cd、Cu籽实吸收量占植物体总吸收量的1．16％～3％。水稻、玉米地上部吸收Cd的量〉地卜部吸收Cu的量，在作物体中Cd的迁移能力强于Cu的迁移能力。     

Heavy metals in soils and crops in Southeast Asia

In a reconnaissance soil geochemical and plant survey undertaken to study the heavy metal uptake by major food crops in Malaysia, 241 soils were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon (C), pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and available phosphorus (P) using appropriate procedures. These soils were also analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) using aqua regia digestion, together with 180 plant samples using nitric acid digestion. Regression analysis between the edible plant part and aqua regia soluble soil As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations sampled throughout Peninsular Malaysia, indicated a positive relationship for Pb in all the plants sampled in the survey (R ² = 0.195, p < 0.001), for Ni in corn (R ² = 0.649, p < 0.005), for Cu in chilli (R ² = 0.344, p < 0.010) and for Zn in chilli (R ² = 0.501, p < 0.001). Principal component analysis of the soil data suggested that concentrations of Co, Ni, Pb and Zn were strongly correlated with concentrations of Al and Fe, which is suggestive of evidence of background variations due to changes in soil mineralogy. Thus the evidence for widespread contamination of soils by these elements through agricultural activities is not strong. Chromium was correlated with soil pH and EC, Na, S, and Ca while Hg was not correlated with any of these components, suggesting diffuse pollution by aerial deposition. However As, Cd, Cu were strongly associated with organic matter and available and aqua regia soluble soil P, which we attribute to inputs in agricultural fertilisers and soil organic amendments (e.g. manures, composts).     

洞庭湖封闭河口区与湖心区的基本生态特征——以六门闸至小西湖样带为例

通过对洞庭湖六门闸至小西湖样带的调查,研究了封闭河口区和湖心区水体、土壤和植物等基本生态特征及其相关关系。结果表明,河口区水流缓慢,透明度低,而湖心区水流速度较高,透明度也高;河口区水体具有较高的营养水平和电导率,而湖心区水体营养水平和电导率相对较低;湖心区土壤有机质和氮含量较高,而河口区有机质和氮含量相对较低;河口区不适合水生植物的生长繁殖,而湖心区是植物生长繁殖的主要生境。相关分析结果表明,河口区和湖心区生物、土壤和水文特征之间存在相互作用,透明度与水流速度之间在α=0.05水平上相关显著,物种丰富度、生物量和多样性指数分别与水流速度和透明度在α=0.01水平上相关显著,与土壤全氮含量之间在α=0.05水平上相关显著,水流速度是调控生态特征变化的关键因子。     

酸雨对土壤营养元素迁移转化的影响

针对近年来北方一些城市大气污染严重并导致部分月份出现酸雨,及酸雨对主要营养元素产生影响的实际情况,通过模拟pH=5.6的酸雨的淋溶实验,对土壤营养元素迁移转化规律作了较深入的研究。结果表明,土壤中硝态氮质量分数随土壤深度的增加而呈下降的趋势;土壤中速效磷、速效钾对酸雨不敏感;拟合出在土壤表层(<5 cm)、10 cm、20 cm、30 cm的不同深度,硝态氮随时间变化的迁移规律方程。     

Protection versus culture-driven exploitation of wild plant resources: the case on Changbai Mountain

Under Chinese culture it is believed that herbal medicine is always safe and wild food is always healthy. Generally, the rarer a plant, the higher its value. The booming economy in China has promoted tourism development in wilderness areas and wild medicinal and food plants are part of the attraction to tourists. Conflicts between wild plant exploitation and protection have emerged in many parts of China, such as Changbai Mountain. Changbai Mountain supports numerous medicinal and food plants but many have become rare and endangered. This paper numerically evaluates 30 plant species that have relatively high conservation value for each type (medicinal, ornamental and food), and briefly describes the uses of four to five top ranked species per type that need more protection on Changbai Mountain. This paper also addresses some tree species with important timber values on Changbai Mountain. Over 90% of China's medicinal, ornamental and food plant species, as well as valuable timber trees are found in the conifer–broadleaf mixed forest zone across the boundary of Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve. It is a major challenge to protect the native biodiversity of mixed forest on Changbai Mountain and more efforts need to be made to protect rare and endangered plant species with high economic value.     

Heavy metals in soils and crops in Southeast Asia 2. Thailand

A reconnaissance soil geochemical and concomitant plant survey based on 318 soil (0-15 cm) and 122 plant samples was used for the assessment of heavy metal pollution of agricultural soils and crops of Thailand. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were determined in soils using aqua regia digestion, and in plants using nitric acid digestion. Organic carbon (C), pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and available phosphorus (P) were determined on the soil samples using appropriate procedures. Results indicated that concentrations of heavy metals varied widely among the different regions of Thailand. Regression analysis between the concentrations of metals in soil (aqua regia extractable) and edible plant parts indicated a small but positive relationship for Cd in all the plants sampled in the survey (R2 = 0.081, p < 0.001). There was also a positive relationship between soil and plant Cd concentrations in rice (R2 = 0.242, p < 0.010), and negative relationships for Zn in rice (R2 = 0.385, p < 0.001), and Cu (R2 = 0.355, p < 0.001) and Zn (R2 = 0.122, p < 0.026) in glutinous rice. Principal component analysis of the soil data suggested that concentrations of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Pb were strongly correlated with concentrations of Al and Fe, which is suggestive of evidence of background variations due to changes in soil mineralogy. Thus, the evidence for widespread contamination of soils by these elements through agricultural activities is not strong. On the other hand, Cd and Zn were strongly correlated with organic matter and concentrations of available and aqua regia extractable P. This is attributed to input of contaminants in agricultural fertilisers and soil amendments (e.g. manures, composts).