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Assessing heavy metal sources in sugarcane Brazilian soils: an approach using multivariate analysis

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Abstract

Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane producer and soils in the northeastern part of the country have been cultivated with the crop for over 450 years. However, so far, there has been no study on the status of heavy metal accumulation in these long-history cultivated soils. To fill the gap, we collect soil samples from 60 sugarcane fields in order to determine the contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. We used multivariate analysis to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources of these metals in soils. Analytical determinations were performed in ICP-OES after microwave acid solution digestion. Mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 1.9, 18.8, 6.4, 4.9, 11.2, and 16.2 mg kg−1, respectively. The principal component one was associated with lithogenic origin and comprised the metals Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn. Cluster analysis confirmed that 68 % of the evaluated sites have soil heavy metal concentrations close to the natural background. The Cd concentration (principal component two) was clearly associated with anthropogenic sources with P fertilization being the most likely source of Cd to soils. On the other hand, the third component (Pb concentration) indicates a mixed origin for this metal (natural and anthropogenic); hence, Pb concentrations are probably related not only to the soil parent material but also to industrial emissions and urbanization in the vicinity of the agricultural areas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros street, s/n - Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil

    Fernando Bruno Vieira da Silva, Clístenes Williams Araújo do Nascimento, Paula Renata Muniz Araújo, Luiz Henrique Vieira da Silva & Roberto Felipe da Silva

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  1. Fernando Bruno Vieira da Silva
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  2. Clístenes Williams Araújo do Nascimento
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  3. Paula Renata Muniz Araújo
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  5. Roberto Felipe da Silva
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Correspondence to Clístenes Williams Araújo do Nascimento.

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da Silva, F.B.V., do Nascimento, C.W.A., Araújo, P.R.M. et al. Assessing heavy metal sources in sugarcane Brazilian soils: an approach using multivariate analysis. Environ Monit Assess 188, 457 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5409-x

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