title: Arsenic and chromium in Brazilian agricultural supplies.
abstract: Arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) contents were measured in agricultural supplies used at different farms in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The highest mass fractions of As were found in thermophosphates, reaching levels of 4 mg/kg. The highest mass fractions of Cr (21 g/kg) were found in calcium magnesium silicate, while the thermophosphates also presented high values reaching approximately 1 g/kg. The levels of As were within Brazilian guidelines, but the values of Cr in thermophosphates exceeded the levels permitted in Brazil. The As content in fertilizers may be considered safe (<5 mg/kg) in terms of environmental pollution. However, the Cr content in calcium magnesium silicate following continuous use may constitute a significant problem in Brazil due to potentially increasing levels of this metal in soils.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil. christian.turra@gmail.com
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turra
authors.forename: Elisabete A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: De Nadai Fernandes
authors.forename: Vanderlei
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Antonio Stefanuto
authors.forename: Márcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arruda Bacchi
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adrián Sarriés
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enrique Lai Reyes
mesh_terms: D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D001938:Brazil; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D016573:Agrochemicals; D002857:Chromium; D001151:Arsenic