Effect of kerosene use on carrot contamination with heavy metals in northern khuzestan province
Subject Areas : Soil and water pollution with heavy metalsSeyed Hosein Mahmoodi Nezhad Dezfully 1 , Kobra Sadat Hasheminasab Zavareh 2 , Hamed Rezaei 3 , Ruhollah Rezaei Arshad 4
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Soil and Water Research, Safiabad Agricultural Research and Education and Natural Resources Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Dezful, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Chemistry and Physics Research and Fertilizer Technology, Soil and Water Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
3 - Associate Professor, Department of Soil and Water Resources Monitoring and Improvement, Soil and Water Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
4 - Expert, Department of Soil and Water Research, Safiabad Agricultural Research and Education and Natural Resources Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Dezful, Iran
Keywords: Kerosene, Khuzestan, Heavy metals, Carrot,
Abstract :
In some carrot farms in the north of Khuzestan Province, kerosene is used as an herbicide. To evaluate the effect of kerosene on the concentration of heavy metals in carrot plants, a study was conducted in 2021. Soil samples were taken from kerosene-sprayed fields at depths of 0–5 cm and 5–15 cm at two intervals: 10 days after spraying (approximately 30 days after planting) and at harvest time (about 120 days after planting). Concentrations of heavy metals including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) were measured. The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd in the aerial parts (at both 10 days after spraying and at harvest) and in the roots (at harvest) were also determined. Results showed that 10 days after kerosene application, the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Co, As, Cd, Pb, and Ni at a depth of 0–5 cm were 24.9, 36.3, 8.8, 8.4, 0.17, 2.1, and 52.2 mg/kg, respectively, and at 5–15 cm were 25.2, 35.8, 8.6, 7.3, 0.16, 2.2, and 52.2 mg/kg. At harvest, the concentrations at 0–5 cm were 26.4, 48.3, 10.9, 7.1, 0.21, 3.1, and 66.1 mg/kg, and at 5–15 cm were 28.5, 47.7, 11.6, 6.35, 0.22, 2.68, and 69.9 mg/kg. All values remained within permissible limits. Ten days after spraying, Zn and Cd concentrations in the aerial parts were 70.3 mg/kg and 61.5 µg/kg, respectively—14.65% and 18.7% above Iranian standards. In contrast, Cu (21.8 mg/kg) and Pb (42.1 µg/kg) were within acceptable limits. At harvest, concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in the aerial parts were 13.1 mg/kg, 55.1 mg/kg, 41.6 µg/kg, and 13.1 µg/kg, respectively. In the roots, the values were 11.0 mg/kg, 31.0 mg/kg, 64.4 µg/kg, and 2.46 µg/kg, all within permissible limits. Overall, the findings indicated that kerosene application increased the concentration of some heavy metals in the aerial parts of the plant during early growth stages. However, by harvest time, all measured values were within acceptable safety thresholds. Considering the compliance with permissible limits of heavy metals in agricultural products in relation to public health (food safety), it is recommended that future studies use larger sample sizes for more accurate assessments.