title: Potentially toxic element contamination in soil and accumulation in maize plants in a smelter area in Kosovo.
abstract: A biogeochemical field study was carried out in the industrial area of Kosovska Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, where agricultural soils were contaminated by potentially toxic elements due to smelting activity. Total and bioavailable contents of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Sb, U and Zn in soil and their concentrations in maize roots and grains were determined. Soil contamination by As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn was variable from slightly to highly contaminated soils and influenced both the bioavailable fraction and accumulation of these potentially toxic elements in maize tissues. The comparison between potentially toxic element concentrations in roots and grains indicated that maize is able to limit the transfer of non-essential elements to edible parts. The plant-to-soil bioconcentration indices suggested that the transfer of potentially toxic elements from soil to plant was predicted better by bioavailable concentrations than by the total contents. These indices further identified some competitions and interactions among these elements in root uptake and root-to-grain translocation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Siena, Via del Laterino 8, I-53100, Siena, Italy. nannoni@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nannoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Siena, Via del Laterino 8, I-53100, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Siena, Via del Laterino 8, I-53100, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Protano
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D063826:Kosovo; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Bioavailability; Kosovo; Potentially toxic elements; Smelter; Soil; Zea mays L.