Assessing soil contamination and temporal trends of heavy metal contents in greenhouses on semiarid land
Autor
Gil, Carlos
Boluda, Rafael
Rodríguez- Martín, José A.
Guzmán, Miguel
Moral, Fernando del
Ramos-Miras, José Joaquín
Editor
WileyFecha
2018Materia
AgrochemicalsContamination indices
Heavy metal enriched
Horticultual greenhouse impact
Trace elements
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Information about the behavior and temporal evolution of heavy metals in agricultural
soils is limited, particularly about greenhouse soils on semiarid lands, indeed it nonexis-
tent. Western Almería (Southern Spain) is a semiarid land where some 30,000 ha are
occupied by greenhouses with high productivity. As these greenhouses are fundamental
to the socioeconomic development of this area, they should be maintained and well
conserved. However, there are indications that long‐term intensive agriculture with
considerable agrochemicals use can deteriorate soil quality, which in turn, would reduce
productivity and food quality. This study was conducted to investigate soil contamination
and the temporal trends of heavy metal concentrations in greenhouse soils of
western Almería. Contamination level, availability, and sources of metals were evaluated
by the extractable fraction percentage, by indices zinc equivalent,
geoaccumulation, enrichment factor and pollution load, and by a correlation analysis
between soil properties and metal contents. The results showed that the total contents
of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb, and the available concentration of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, were significantly
higher than background levels. Temporal patterns indicated that these elements
accumulate in greenhouse soils. After more than 20 years of intensive agriculture, the
available concentration of elements, and contamination, had clearly increased.