EDAFOLOGÍA, Vol 12. (2), pp 127-138, 2005
ESTUDIO DEL CONTENIDO DE METALES PESADOS EN SUELOS AGRÍCOLAS BAJO CULTIVOS HORTÍCOLAS DE LA PROVINCIA DE ALICANTE.
C. MICÓ, M. PERIS, L. RECATALÁ, J. SÁNCHEZ
CIDE-Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC, Universitat de València, Generalitat Valenciana), Camí de la Marjal s/n, Apartado Oficial, 46470 Albal, Valencia (España), carolina.mico@uv.es
The analysis of the heavy metal content (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) was carried out in agricultural soils devoted to vegetable crops within the Alicante province (Spain). A simple random sampling scheme was followed and 54 composite samples were collected according to the optimal sample size cal- culated statistically. Heavy metal content was determined by an open-vessel digestion and quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean values were 7.2 mg/kg for Co, 30.3 mg/kg for Cr, 19.2 mg/kg for Cu, 21.5 mg/kg for Ni, 24.6 mg/kg for Pb and 51.8 mg/kg for Zn. A statistical analysis was per- formed with the populations obtained and a comparison with other agricultural soils at the Spanish Medite- rranean region was also carried out. Results seem to suggest that soil pollution is not a relevant process in the study area for the heavy metals studied, although some samples showed higher levels of Cr, Cu and Pb indicating a major anthropic influence as a consequence of human activities taking place near to these soils.
Key words: Heavy metals, agricultural soils, total content, Alicante.