Determination of lead, cadmium and copper in roadside soil and plants in Elazig, Turkey

Bakirdere S., Yaman M.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, vol.136, pp.401-410, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 136
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10661-007-9695-1
  • Journal Name: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.401-410
  • Keywords: cadmium, copper, lead, plant leaves, roadside soil, traffic contamination, HEAVY-METAL CONTAMINATION, ATOMIC-ABSORPTION-SPECTROMETRY, WEST-BANK, VEGETATION, POLLUTION, SAMPLES, MOTORWAY, HIGHWAYS, NIGERIA, FRUITS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The concentrations of lead, cadmium and copper in roadside soil and plants in Elazig, Turkey were investigated. Soil samples were collected at distances of 0, 25 and 50 m from the roadside. The concentrations of lead, cadmium and copper were measured by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FAAS). A slotted tube atom trap ( STAT) was used to increase the sensitivity of lead and cadmium in FAAS. Lead concentrations in soil samples varied from 1.3 to 45 mg kg(-1) while mean lead levels in plants ranged from 120 ng g(-1) for grape in point-4 to 866 ng g(-1) for apple leaves in point-2. Lead analyses showed that there was a considerable contamination in both soil and plants affected from traffic intensity. Overall level of Cd in soil samples lies between 78 and 527 ng/g while cadmium concentration in different vegetations varied in the range of 0.8-98.0 ng g(-1). Concentrations of copper in soil and plant samples were found in the range of 11.1-27.9 mg kg(-1) for soil and 0.8-5.6 mg kg(-1) for plants. Standard reference material (SRM) was used to find the accuracy of the results of soil analyses.