Assessment of bioavailability and mobility of major and trace elements in agricultural soils collected in Port St Johns,
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Assessment of bioavailability and mobility of major and trace elements in agricultural soils collected in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa using single extraction procedures and pseudo-total digestion Masixole Sihlahla 1 & Hassina Mouri 2 & Philiswa N. Nomngongo 1,3,4 Received: 11 November 2018 / Accepted: 5 November 2020 / Published online: 18 November 2020 # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of ultrasound assisted single extraction and pseudo-total digestion procedures to investigate the bioavailability and mobility of major and trace elements collected from agricultural soil collected in Mzimvubu farmstead area located in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape Province (South Africa). Materials and methods The potential metal availability was assessed using complexing agent (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)), mild (cacium chloride (CaCl2) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)), deionized water and acidic (CH3COOH) extractants with the assistance of ultrasound to evaluate mobility and bioavailability of metals. The ultrasound radiation was used to assist the single extraction of major and trace metals from agricultural soils as well shortening the extraction time. The pseudo-total metal content in agricultural soils was obtained using pseudo-total digestion employing aqua-regia. Results and discussion The results obtained using different solvents for single extraction procedures, revealed that higher extraction of Al (256–681 mg kg−1), Fe (172–430 mg kg−1) and Mn (35–136 mg kg−1), was observed compared to other metals. Among the investigated solvents, deionized water, acetic acid and EDTA proved to be the most aggressive extractants. The geoaccumulation index (2–6) and contamination factor (3–6) demonstrated that Fe, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn could pose significant environmental contamination risk. Conclusions Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the high levels of some studied metals was due to anthropogenic activities. Keywords Bioavailability . Major and trace elements . Pseudo-total digestion . Single extraction . Environmental risk assessment
Introduction
* Philiswa N. Nomngongo [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, P.O. Box 17011, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa
2
Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, APK- Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa
3
DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
4
DSI/NRF SARChI Chair: Nanotechnology for Water, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
Agricultural and surrounding environmental soils are threatened by trace metal contamination [1]. The contamination can be caused by either trace pollutants through natural or anthropogenic sources also referred to as human activities. These human activities include mining, expansion of urban and industrialization, wastewater, sewage sludge, application of fertilizers and pes
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